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*     FEB  14  1901      ■^ 


■^S/CAL 


BV    813    .W583 

White,    Erskine   Norman,    1833 

1911. 
Why  infants   are  baptized 


WHY  INFANTS 
ARE  BAPTIZED 


AN  ESSAY  BY 

ERSKINE  N.  WHITE 


PHILADELPHIA  : 

THE  WESTMINSTER   PRESS 

•    1900 


Copyright,  1900,  by  the  Trustees  of 

The  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication  and  Sabbath- 
School  Work. 


To 

The  Abiding  Memory 

OF 

One  whose  Faith  in  the  Covenant 

HEREIN    portrayed 

She  LIVED  to  see  abundantly  rewarded. 


PREFATORY  NOTE 


npHE  substance  of  the  following  essay 
was  published  a  number  of  years  ago 
in  the  Princeton  Review. 

It  has  been  revised  and  enlarged  and  is 
now  reprinted  in  the  hope  that  it  may 
prove  of  service  to  some  who,  while  valu- 
ing on  account  of  ancestral  tradition  and 
tender  associations  the  privilege  of  pre- 
senting their  infant  children  for  baptism, 
are  yet  troubled  with  doubts  as  to  the 
meaning  of  the  sacrament  in  such  cases 
and  its  value  to  the  recipient. 

It  is  hoped  that  it  will  be  sufficiently 
evident  even  to  those  who  dissent  from 
the  views  expressed  that  they  are  not  ad- 
vocated in  any  controversial  spirit. 

E.   N.    W. 

New  York,  September  i,  1900. 


CONTENTS 


Introduction     .....       i 
I.    One  Baptism         ...  6 

II.    The  Teaching  of  the  Scrip- 
tures .  .  .  .TO 

III.  Scripture  References         .         52 

IV.  Position  in  the  Church         .     55 
V.    Objections  ...         58 

VI.    Importance  of   Right   Views     70 
VII.    Responsibilities     and     Privi- 
leges        ....         76 
VIII.    Encouragements     .         .         .82 
Appendix 

^  Note  A.  History  .  .  .88 
Note  E.  Definitions  of  Regen- 
eration ....  90 
Note  C.  Elect  Infants  .  .  92 
Note  D.  The  Mode  of  Baptism  94 
Note  E.    Meaning  of  Anglican 

Baptismal  Office   .         .         98 


WHY  INFANTS  ARE  BAPTIZED 


Introduction 

WO  sacraments  only,  baptism 
and  the  Lord's  supper,  are  ac- 
cepted by  Protestant  Christen- 
dom as  of  divine  appointment. 
In  regard  to  one  of  these,  the  Lord's 
supper,  it  is  universally  admitted  that  a 
certain  degree  of  knowledge  and  therefore 
of  conscious  preparation  upon  the  part  of 
the  recipient  are  necessary.  Not  unnat- 
urally therefore  a  question  arises,  and  to 
some  minds  assumes  grave  importance, 
whether  the  same  is  not  true  in  regard  to 
the  other  sacrament,  namely,  that  of 
baptism.  It  is  true  that  a  marked  dis- 
tinction is  immediately  obvious:  in  the 
one  sacrament  the  disciple  is  the  active 
participant;  in  the  other  he  is  the  passive 
(9) 


10  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

recipient.  Yet  inasmuch  as  even  in  the 
latter  case  there  may  be  either  a  voluntary 
or  an  involuntary  recipiency  the  question 
still  remains. 

The  experience  of  all  pastors  will  doubt- 
less agree  that  they  find  in  their  congrega- 
tions parents  who  are  earnest  and  consci- 
entious in  their  desire  to  fulfill  their  duty 
to  the  children  whom  God  has  committed 
to  their  care  and  who  recognize  the  fact 
that  the  standards  of  the  Church  instruct 
them  to  present  their  infant  children  for 
the  sacrament  of  baptism,  but  who  con- 
fess that  doubts  disturb  their  minds  as  to 
the  meaning  and  efficacy  of  the  sacrament 
when  administered  to  newborn  babes. 
They  are  still  further  disquieted  by  the 
knowledge  that  many  excellent  Christians 
composing,  at  least  in  this  country,  a  large 
and  influential  branch  of  the  Church  uni- 
versal, unhesitatingly  deny  the  propriety 
of  such  administration  and  assert  that  the 
baptism  of  infants  is  a  meaningless  form. 
How  shall  such  questions  be  met  ? 


W/iy  Infants  Are  Baptized  ii 

It  must  be  frankly  admitted  that  many 
who  accept  the  practice  assign  reasons  for 
it  which  tend  rather  to  increase  than  allay 
the  doubts  of  inquirers.  There  can  be 
little  question  that  whether  from  this 
cause  or  from  the  failure  of  adequate 
direct  instruction  there  is  a  wide  diversity 
of  opinion  as  to  the  significance  of  the 
sacrament  when  administered  to  infants 
and  consequently  as  to  the  relation  of 
baptized  children  to  the  Church.  That 
this  should  tend  to  neglect  in  practice  is 
not  strange,  and  a  comparison  of  the 
number  of  such  baptisms  with  the  number 
of  communicants,  at  least  as  reported  in 
the  statistics  of  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
seems  to  indicate  that  neglect  is  far  from 
uncommon. 

The  popular  misapprehension  upon  this 
subject  is  also  manifest  in  the  frequency 
with  which  the  first  approach  of  baptized 
children  to  the  communion  table  is  de- 
scribed as  their  *' joining  the  Church"  or 
"uniting    with     the    Church;"     phrases 


12  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

which  by  their  common  use,  even  by 
teachers  and  pastors,  have  doubtless  had 
much  to  do  with  obscuring  the  plain 
teaching  of  the  Scriptures  and  the  stand- 
ards of  the  Church.  In  short,  so  long  as 
the  significance  of  the  baptism  of  infants 
is  in  dispute  among  those  who  advocate  it 
and  the  position  of  baptized  children  is 
looked  upon  as  anomalous  and  undeter- 
mined, so  long  our  church  members  and 
especially  the  more  intelligent  and 
thoughtful  among  them  will  be  tempted 
to  look  upon  the  sacrament  lightly  and  to 
be  careless  in  regard  to  its  administration 
to  their  children. 

Nevertheless,  wxre  a  growing  diver- 
gence of  theories  the  only  result  of  such 
misconception  it  would  be  a  matter  of 
comparatively  small  importance  and  one 
which  the  present  writer  would  feel  far 
less  interest  in  discussing.  The  mere 
question  of  the  prevalence  or  neglect  of 
the  practice  as  an  ecclesiastical  rite  sinks 
into  insignificance  unless  the  sacrament  is 


IV/ijy  Infants  Are  Baptized  ij 

seen  to  be  symbolical  of  most  profound 
truths  and  of  precious  spiritual  privileges. 
But  as  a  fact  the  whole  question  of  the 
manner  in  which  our  children  shall  be  in- 
structed and  trained  is  determined  by 
the  views  held  as  to  the  significance  of 
their  baptism  and  their  consequent  rela- 
tion to  the  Church.  It  is  because  of  its 
important  bearing  upon  the  teaching  of 
our  pulpits  and  the  Christian  nurture  of 
immortal  souls  that  this  subject  should  at- 
tract earnest  and  prayerful  consideration. 
It  is  with  such  convictions  that  the 
present  writer  hopes  that  a  simple  restate- 
ment of  the  grounds  upon  which,  in  accord- 
ance w^ith  the  teaching  of  the  Scriptures, 
the  sacrament  of  baptism  is  to  be  admin- 
istered to  infants,  may  prove  timely  and 
of  interest  to  those  to  whom  God  has  com- 
mitted the  care  and  nurture  of  the  chil- 
dren of  the  Church. 


One  Baptism 
T  is  not  proposed  at  the  present 
time  to  enumerate  the  various 
conflicting  views  which  in  the 
supposed  interests  of  spiritual 
Ufe  have  been  advanced  in  our  Protestant 
non-ritualistic  churches. 

It  is  sufficient  to  say  that  both  the 
history  and  the  experience  of  the  Church 
abundantly  prove  that  any  theory  that  as- 
signs to  the  sacrament  of  baptism  in  the 
case  of  infants  a  different  significance 
from  that  in  the  case  of  adults,  or  that 
admits  that  baptized  children  are  not  in 
the  full  sense  of  the  words  ' '  members  of 
the  Church  "  will  be  found  unsatisfactory 
and,  if  consistently  acted  upon,  will  inevit- 
ably lead  to  indifference  to  the  privilege 
and  irrepressible  doubt  as  to  the  propriety 
of  baptizing  infants  at  all. 
(/5) 


W/ij/  Infa7its  Are  Baptized  i6 

The  reason  is  obvious.  Such  a  view, 
making  baptism  in  the  case  of  the  infant 
to  mean  something  other  and  different 
from  baptism  in  the  case  of  the  adult,  and 
assigning  the  baptized  adult  to  one  posi- 
tion and  the  baptized  child  to  another, 
necessarily  assumes  either  that  such  dis- 
tinction, which  virtually  establishes  in  the 
Church  two  baptisms,  is  enjoined  in  the 
Scriptures,  or  that  we  have  no  divinely 
expressed  warrant  for  administering  the 
sacrament  to  infants,  and  must  depend 
upon  analogy,  tradition,  precedent,  or  an 
apostolic  example,  which  is  in  dispute,  to 
justify  our  practice. 

As  the  first  position  is  obviously  unten- 
able, the  second  is  to  a  great  extent  prac- 
tically accepted.  Indeed,  it  is  frequently 
admitted,  with  prompt  ingenuousness, 
that  the  Bible  contains  no  direct  command 
to  baptize  infants.  After  this  concession, 
however  ingeniously  such  baptism  may  be 
defended  upon  the  grounds  of  "time-hon- 
ored   custom,"    the     ''authority    of    the 


JV/i_y  I uf a  I  Its  Are  Baptized  J  7 

Church,"  the  "edification  of  parents,"  or 
the  "  beauty  of  a  consecratory  rite,"  the 
way,  among  Protestants,  to  carelessness 
and  neglect  is  very  short  and  easy. 

In  contradistinction  to  this  we  find  two 
classes  of  believers  whose  practice  invari- 
ably accords  with  their  doctrine;  upon 
the  one  side  those  who  hold  that  infants 
are  regenerated,  ex  opere  operate^  by  bap- 
tism; upon  the  other,  those  who  believe 
that  baptism  concerns  only  conscious  be- 
lievers. In  each  of  these  cases  the  prac- 
tice is  the  necessary  logical  result  of  a 
definite  and  pronounced  theory,  and  the 
theories,  though  antipodal,  agree  in  the 
position  from  which  they  start,  namely, 
that  the  sacrament  of  baptism  as  found  in 
the  Scriptures  is  single,  that  its  signifi- 
cance is  in  all  cases  the  same,  and  that 
the  inspired  statements  concerning  quali- 
fications in  the  recipient  apply  alike  to.  all 
candidates. 

llLi  the  conviction  that,  however  wrong 
the  conclusions,  this  fundamental  position 


i8  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

is  sound  and  essential  to  any  tenable  view 
of  the  significance  of  this  sacrament,  it 
will  be  attempted,  in  consistency  with  it, 
to  show,  upon  the  one  hand,  that  the 
Scripture  precepts  as  distinctly  command 
the  baptism  of  infants  as  that  of  adults; 
and,  upon  the  other,  that  this  position, 
involving,  as  it  does,  the  church  member- 
ship of  such  infants,  can  be  held  without 
embracing  the  ritualistic  views  of  the 
Romish  or  the  High  Anglican  party. 

In  taking  this  position  no  novel  ideas 
are  advanced.  It  is  believed  to  be  the 
only  position  that  is  consistent  with  the 
history  of  our  Church*  and  with  its  stan- 
dards. 

*The  Presbyterian    Church,   of  which   the   writer  is   a 
member. 


II 


The  Teaching  of  the  Scriptures 

T  would  be  aside  from  the  pres- 
ent purpose  and  is  unnecessary 
to  the  argument  to  review  the 
history  of  the  controversy  in 
regard  to  the  original  practice  of  the 
Church.*  Acknowledging  the  Scriptures 
as  the  only  rule  of  faith  and  obedi- 
ence they  must  be  made  the  sole  standard 
of  appeal  in  regard  to  the  purport  of  this 
sacrament  and  the  character  of  those  to 
whom  it  is  to  be  administered. 

Admitting,  then,  that  the  sacrament  of 
baptism  in  the  Christian  Church  is  a  posi- 
tive ordinance,  and  that  as  such  we  have 
no  right  to  tamper  with  its  significance, 
we  turn  to  the  great  commission : — 

*'Go  ye  therefore,    and  teach  [/xai^reo- 


*  See  Appendix,  Note  A. 


(/9) 


20  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

(Tare,  disciple)  all  nations,  baptizing  them 
in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son, 
and  of  the  Holy  Ghost  :  teaching  them  to 
observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have  com- 
manded you."  Matt,  xxviii.  19,  20. 

The  command  ixaf^riTtbnazt^  ''make  dis- 
ciples of  "  is  explained  by  the  latter  clause, 
"baptizing  them,"  etc.  The  verb  signi- 
fies the  end,  the  participle  the  means.  In 
regard  to  this  scholars  are  virtually 
agreed*  Nothing  is  said  of  qualifications 
either  of  character  or  of  age.  These  are 
to  be  determined  by  other  expressions  of 
Scripture.  As  ''all  nations"  necessarily 
include  many  who  are  not  to  become  dis- 
ciples, so,  of  course,  they  include  infants, 
and  the  question  whether  infants  are  to  be 
"discipled"   must   be   decided   upon    the 

*  The  verb,  ficf&yjTevELV ^  signifies  to  make  disciples ;  it 
includes  baptism  and  teaching, — BengeL 

The  fia'&TjTeveLV  consists  of  two  parts — the  initiatory, 
admissory  rite,  and  the  subsequent  teaching. — Alford. 

The  two  p.^rticiples,  (^aTrri^ovreg  and  dtddaKovre^,  are 
precisely  what  constitute  the  fiad-rfreveiv. —  Olshausen. 

'" Disciple  all  the  nations,  immersing  them,"  etc. — Version 
of  Bib.  Union. 


W/ij  Infants  Are  Baptized  21 

same  grounds  as  the  question  in  the  case 
of  adults. 

Obviously  the  answer  in  both  instances 
depends  upon  the  conditions  that  the 
Scriptures  elsewhere  make  prerequisite  to 
the  reception  of  the  sacrament  of  bap- 
tism and  the  possibility  of  such  conditions 
being-  fulfilled  in  infants. 

Two  questions,  then,  cover  the  whole 
ground  of  our  inquiry : — 

What  conditions  in  the  recipient  are  pre- 
requisite to  baptism  ? 

Are  these  conditions  in  any  case  fulfilled 
in  infants  ? 

I.   What  conditions  in  the  recipient 

ARE    prerequisite    TO    BAPTISM  ? 

These  conditions  depend  upon  the  sig- 
nificance of  the  sacrament. 

What,  then,  is  its  significance  ? 

I.  Baptism  is  the  official  initiatory  rite 
of  the  visible  Church. 

This  is  its  significance  as  an  external, 
formal   ceremony,  and  as  such  it  is  to  be 


22  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

disting-uished  from  certain  other  outward 
acts  that  may  or  may  not  be  coincident  in 
point  of  time. 

Thus  baptism  is  not  necessarily  that 
pubHc  confession  of  Christ  before  men 
which  our  Lord  so  pointedly  commands. 
Of  course,  it  may,  and  often  does,  involve 
a  public  confession,  just  as  in  many  cases 
does  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper, 
but  this  public  confession  does  not  belong 
to  the  essence  of  either  sacrament.  The 
solemn  words :  '  'Whosoever  therefore  shall 
confess  me  before  men,  him  will  I  confess 
also  before  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven. 
But  whosoever  shall  deny  me  before  men, 
him  will  I  also  deny  before  my  Father  which 
is  in  heaven,"  cannot  refer  to  baptism,  be- 
cause at  the  time  they  were  spoken  the  com- 
mission to  baptize  had  not  been  given,  and 
because  the  confession  upon  earth  is  par- 
allel to  the  confession  in  heaven.  In  not 
one  of  the  eight  or  ten  passages  in  the 
Scriptures  descriptive  of  baptism  is  there 
any  reference  to  such  public  confession. 


IV/i^  Infa7its  Are  Baptirjcd  2j 

So,  too,  the  distinction  between  the 
'■'  initiatory  rite''  2,n6.  the  ^^door''  of  the 
Church  is  to  be  observed.  Entrance  may 
be,  indeed,  coincident  with  baptism,  but 
it  is  not  necessarily  so.  The  Church,  as 
we  shall  see,  antedates  the  present  dis- 
pensation,^ and  the  first  Jewish  converts 
were  already  within  its  fold.  The  corre- 
sponding sacrament  under  the  former  dis- 
pensation was  administered  to  those  who 
were  already  of  the  number  of  the  chosen 
people.  The  men  at  Ephesus  whom  Paul 
baptized  are  distinctly  called  ''  certain  dis- 
ciples. " 

The  door  of  the  Church  stands  always 
open  to  those  who  would  join  themselves 
to  God's  people.  He  who  has  openly  de- 
clared himself  upon  the  Lord's  side  has, 
in  reality,  entered  the  visible  kingdom  of 
God,  even  though  he  does  not,  upon  the 
instant,  receive  the  formal  initiatory  sac- 
rament. To  insist,  as  the  Roman  Catho- 
lic Church  does,  that  only  by  baptism  can 
the  Church  be  entered,  requires  logically, 


24-  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

by  a  consistent  interpretation  of  Scripture, 
the  further  assertion,  which  she  also  does 
not  hesitate  to  make,  that  only  by  this 
sacrament  can  there  be  regeneration.  The 
figure  used  b;/  the  late  Rev.  F.  W.  Rob- 
ertson, of  Brighton,  in  reference  to  re- 
generation, is  equally  applicable  to  mem- 
bership. He  says:  "  *  In  baptism  .... 
I  was  made  a  child  of  God. '  Yes,  corona- 
tion makes  a  sovereign;  but,  paradoxical 
as  it  may  seem,  it  can  only  make  one  a  sove- 
reign who  is  a  sovereign  already.  Simi- 
larly with  baptism.  Baptism  makes  a 
child  of  God  in  the  sense  in  which  corona- 
tion makes  a  king."  * 

But  though  baptism  does  not  necessarily 
and  always  first  introduce  the  recipient 
into  the  visible  Church,  i.  e.,  "among 
those  who  profess  the  true  religion  and 
their  children,"  it  is,  as  the  official  initia- 
tory rite,  the  '*  sign  and  seal"  of  his  mem- 
bership. 

This  is  sufficiently  shown  by  the  form 

*  Sermons.     Second  series  :  Sermon  IV. 


IV/if  Infants  Are  Baptized  2^ 

of  the  commission:  ''Go  ye  therefore, 
and  disciple  all  nations,  baptizing-  them 
in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son, 
and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  We  have  already 
spoken  of  the  explanatory  nature  of  the 
second  clause.  Thus  discipleship  was  to 
be  sealed.  It  is  also  approved  by  the  appa- 
rently universal  practice  of  the  apostles 
and  evangelists  of  baptizing  "straight- 
way" all  who  became  disciples. 

2,  Baptism  symbolizes  and  thus  pre- 
supposes that  radical  change  in  the  soul 
which  we  commonly  call  ''regeneration.  "  * 

"  Except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and  of 
the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  God."  John  iii.  5.f    The  symbolism 

•■■  "  By  a  consent  almost  universal  the  word  regeneration 
is  now  used  to  designate  not  the  whole  work  of  sanctifica- 
tion,  nor  the  first  stages  of  that  work  comprehended  in 
conversion,  much  less  justification  or  any  mere  external 
change  of  state,  but  the  instantaneous  change  from  spiritual 
death  to  spiritual  life." — Hodge  s  Theol.,  Vol.  iii,  p.  5. 
See  Appendix,  Note  B. 

f  It  has  been  disputed  whether  there  is  any  reference 
in  this  passage  \o  baptism.  Calvin  says:  "  They  are  in 
error  in  imagining  that  there  is  any  mention  of  baptism  in 
this  passage,  merely  because  the  word  water  is  used.  Nico- 


26  Why  hifants  Are  Baptized 

is  sometimes  of  cleansing,  sometimes  of 
burial  and  resurrection. 

The  most  prominent  passages  are: — 

''Repent,  and  be  baptized  every  one  of 
you  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  for  the 
remission  of  sins."  Acts  ii.  38. 

''Arise,  and  be  baptized,  and  wash 
away  thy  sins,  calling  on  the  name  of  the 
Lord."     Actsxxii.  16. 

"Know  ye  not,  that  so  many  of  us  as 
were  baptized  into  Jesus  Christ  were  bap- 
tized into  his  death  ?  Therefore  we  are 
buried  with  him  by  baptism  into  death: 
that  like  as  Christ  was  raised  up  from  the 
dead  by  the  glory  of  the  Father,  even  so 
we  also  should  walk  in  newness  of  life." 
Rom.  vi.  3,  4. 

demus,  after  our  Saviour  had  explained  to  him  the  corrup- 
tion of  nature  and  the  necessity  of  being  born  again,  kept 
dreaming  of  a  corporeal  birth,  and  hence  our  Saviour  inti- 
mates the  mode  in  which  God  regenerates  us,  viz.:  by- 
water  and  the  Spirit ;  in  other  words,  by  the  Spirit,  who, 
in  irrigating  and  cleansing  the  souls  of  believers,  operates 
in  the  manner  of  water.  By  '  water  and  the  Spirit,'  there- 
fore, I  simply  understand  the  Spirit,  which  is  water." — In- 
stitut.,  IV.,  xvi,  25. 


IV/iy  Infmits  Are  Baptized  2y 

*'  For  as  many  of  you  as  have  been  bap- 
tized into  Christ  have  put  on  Christ." 
Gal.  iii.  27. 

**  Buried  with  him  in  baptism,  wherein 
also  ye  are  risen  with  him  through  the 
faith  of  the  operation  of  God,  who  hath 
raised  him  from  the  dead."    Col.  ii.  12. 

"If  ye  then  be  risen  with  Christ,  seek 
those  things  which  are  above."    Col.  iii.  i. 

**  According  to  his  mercy  he  saved 
us,  by  the  washing  of  regeneration, 
and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Tit. 
iii.  5. 

In  regard  to  the  meaning  of  '*  believ- 
ing," once  coupled  in  a  general  statement 
with  baptism,  namely,  "  He  that  beliereth 
and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved"  (Mark 
xvi.  16),  it  is  to  be  said  that  it  must  be  inter- 
preted in  the  light  of  the  foregoing  pas- 
sages. It  must  refer,  not  exclusively  to  a 
conscious  conviction  of  the  intellect,  but 
also  to  a  state  of  the  soul,  to  what  was 
formerly  termed  the  "  spiritual  habit."  If 
it  involves  necessarily  a  conscious  convic- 


28  Why  Ivfants  Are  Baptized 

tion  of  the  mind,  no  infant  dying  before 
years  of  understanding  can  be  saved, 
for  it  is  added,  "He  that  believeth  not 
shall  be  damned." 

There  is  no  escape  from  this  conclusion, 
excepting  in  the  singular  and  startling  po- 
sition of  one  prominent  opponent  of  the 
baptism  of  infants:  "The  gospel  has 
nothing  to  do  with  infants. ' ' 

The  passages  that  have  been  cited,  and 
indeed  all  texts  that  speak  of  the  signifi- 
cance of  baptism,  seem  to  agree  that  an 
inward  change  is  symbolized.  It  is  not  to 
be  assumed  that  such  inward  change  has, 
as  a  matter  of  fact,  invariably  and  in  every 
case  taken  place.  Under  the  most  search- 
ing examination  of  adults  there  would  be 
doubtless  received  some  who  were  hypo- 
crites or  self-deceived  ;  but  none  the  less 
the  change  is  symbolized  and  presumed. 
This  is  generally  admitted,  even  though 
there  is  a  difference  of  opinion  as  to  the 
nature  of  the  change,  or  an  intimation 
that  there  may  be  another  use  and  signifi- 


W/ij/  Infants  Are  Bal^thcd  zg 

cance  of  baptism  not  specified  in  the 
Scriptures. 

So  distinct  indeed  are  these  utterances 
of  the  word  of  God  that  many  Christians, 
mistaking,  as  we  contend,  the  very  com- 
mon figure  by  which  the  properties  and 
effects  of  the  thing  signified  are  attributed 
to  the  sign^  have  assumed  that  baptism, 
ex  opere  operate ,  imparts  regeneration.  It 
has  been  already  intimated  that  the  inter- 
pretation which  makes  baptism  necessarily 
the  door  instead  of  the  sign  of  entrance 
must  logically  make  it  also  the  means  in- 
stead of  the  sign  of  regeneration. 

3.  Baptism,  as  a  sacrament,  is  an  instru- 
ment and  medium  through  which  the  Holy 
Ghost  conveys  to  those  by  whom  it  is  wor- 
thily received  spiritual  grace. 

This  is  clearly  taught  in  all  the  symbols 
of  the  Church,  Reformed  as  well  as 
Roman,  although  there  is  not  always  a  dis- 
tinction made  between  the  act  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  in  transforming  the  soul,  which  act 
may  or  may  not  be  synchronous  with  bap- 


JO  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

tism,  and  the  further  spiritual  gift  of  en- 
lightenment and  enlargement  which  is 
conveyed  to  those  who  rightly  receive  the 
sacrament.  This  latter  is  parallel  to  the 
spiritual  grace  received  by  those  who  wor- 
thily partake  of  the  Lord's  supper.  **  Thus 
Luther  observes  that  the  grace  of  bap- 
tism is  not  a  thing  transient  and  confined 
to  the  moment,  but  which,  if  cultivated, 
remains  and  renovates  through  the  whole 
course  of  life. ' '  * 

That  baptism  is  such  an  instrument  and 
medium  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  to  be  inferred 
from  the  frequent  connection  in  the  Scrip- 
tures of  the  ideas  of  baptism  with  water 
and  with  the  Spirit. 

The  words  of  John  the  Baptist,  *' I  in- 
deed baptize  you  with  water  unto  repent- 
ance: but  he  that  cometh  after  me  is 
mightier  than  I,  whose  shoes  I  am  not 
worthy  to  bear:  he  shall  baptize  you  with 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  with  fire  "  (Matt.  iii. 
1 1),  seem  to  refer  to  the  distinction  between 

*  Expos.   Thirty-nine  Art.,  Browne,  p.  644. 


W/iy  Infants  Are  Baptized  ji 

a  *'  baptism  unto  repentance  "  and  the  sac- 
rament of  Christian  baptism  which  was  to 
be  a  sign  and  a  seal  of  the  baptism  of  the 
Spirit. 

Repentance  [ixtrdvota)  depends  upon  the 
regenerating  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit; 
yet  Peter,  upon  the  day  of  Pentecost,  said, 
''  Repent,  and  be  baptized  every  one  of  you 
in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  for  the  remis- 
sion of  sins,  and  ye  shall  receive  the  gift 
of  the  Holy  Ghost.''    Acts  ii.  38. 

Again,  after  the  preaching  of  Paul  at 
Ephesus,  certain  disciples  who  had  long 
believed  ' '  were  baptized  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord  Jesus.  And  when  Paul  had  laid 
his  hands  upon  them,  the  Holy  Ghost 
came  on  them."    Acts  xix.  5,  6. 

*'  For  by  one  Spirit  are  we  all  baptized 
into  one  body."    i  Cor.  xii.  13. 

That  grace  of  some  sort  is  conveyed  to 
those  who  worthily  receive  baptism  is  de- 
nied only  by  those  who  hold  the  very 
lowest  view  of  the  sacraments. 

Baptism,  therefore,  is   not  only  a  sign 


J 2  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

and  seal,  "it  is  also  a  means  of  grace,  be- 
cause in  it  the  blessings  which  it  signifies 
are  conveyed,  and  the  promises  of  which 
it  is  the  seal  are  assured  or  fulfilled  to 
those  who  are  baptized,  provided  they  be- 
lieve. Unless  the  recipient  of  this  sacra- 
ment be  insincere,  baptism  is  an  act  of 
faith ;  it  is  an  act  in  which  and  by  which 
he  receives  and  appropriates  the  offered 
benefits  of  the  redemption  of  Christ."  * 

If  our  view  of  the  significance  of  bap- 
tism is  correct;  if  it  is  the  offieial  initia- 
tory rite  of  the  visible  Church,  the  symbol 
of  regeneration  and  a  sacramental  inediiini 
of  spiritual  grace,  then  it  follows  that  the 
conditions  in  the  recipient  prerequisite  to 
its  administration  are  :^ 

1.  Member sJiip  in  the  visible  ChiircJi. 

2.  Presumptive  regeneration. 

3.  Capability  of  receiving  spiritual  grace. 


*  Hodge  s    Theology,  Vol.  iii,  p.  589. 


U7if  Infants  Are  Baptized 


jj 


II.  Do  INFANTS  IN  ANY  CASE  FULFILL 
THESE    CONDITIONS  ? 

Upon  the  answer  to  this  question  the 
controversy  in  regard  to  the  baptism  of  in- 
fants turns.  If  infants  do  not  fulfill  these 
conditions,  then  the  special  commands  in 
regard  to  baptism  have  no  relation  to  them. 
If  in  any  case  they  do  fulfill  the  conditions, 
then  in  such  case  they  are  numbered 
among  those  whom  we  are  directly  com- 
manded to  baptize.  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
those  Christians  who  reject  infant  baptism 
(technically  so  called)  baptize  children  as 
soon  as  they  give  satisfactory  evidence 
that  they  have  fulfilled  the  necessary  con- 
ditions— thus  making  fitness^  not  age,  the 
test. 

That  children  of  believing  church  mem- 
bers may  from  earliest  infancy  fulfill  these 
conditions  is,  in  our  view,  the  ground  upon 
which  it  is  to  be  argued  that  they  are  en- 
titled to  receive  the  sacrament  of  baptism. 

First  Co7idition — Membership  in  the  visi- 
ble Church. 

3 


j^  W/if  Infants  Are  Baptized 

The  children  of  church  members  have 
a  birthright  in  the  visible  Church. 

This  is  to  be  inferred : — 

I.  From  the  divine  institution  of  the 
family. 

[a]  The  family,  not  the  individual,  is 
the  unit  of  the  race. 

The  ho7no — man — is  not  male  or  female, 
but  represents  the  male  and  female  in 
their  mutual  interdependence — the  germ 
of  the  family.  "God  created  man  in  his 
own  image,  in  the  image  of  God  created 
he  him;  male  and  female  cre2ite6.h.e  them." 
Gen.  i.  27.  Children  at  birth  and  in  in- 
fancy are  wholly  dependent  upon  their 
parents.  Literal  independence  of  the  in- 
dividual is  unknown  and  impossible. 

(b)  Justly  or  unjustly,  in  all  ordinary 
cases,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  the  children's 
position  at  birth  is  determined  by  that  of 
the  parents.  It  is  necessarily  so  in  the 
family  and  in  the  State,  which  with  the 
Church  make  up  the  three  organizations 
among-  men  that  are  of   divine  appoint- 


W/ij/  Infants  Are  Baptized  35 

ment.  It  is  so,  largely  in  physical  and 
mental  gifts,  in  moral  aptitudes,  in  social 
position,  in  political  status. 

(c)  In  the  most  momentous  transaction 
— excepting  the  atonement — that  the  world 
has  ever  seen,  this  unity  of  the  family  was 
divinely  announced.  "  By  one  man  sin 
entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by  sin; 
and  so  death  passed  upon  all  men,  for  that 
{iip'  <l)  all  have  sinned."    Rom.  v.   12. 

It  is  natural  law — we  may  say  '*  common 
law" — in  God's  arrangement  of  human 
society,  that  antecedent  to  their  own  ac- 
countability, the  position  of  children  is 
largely  determined  by  that  of  their  parents, 
and  if  no  statute  law  is  found  making  an 
exception,  the  common  law  holds  good  in 
reference  to  the  Church. 

2.  The  birthright  in  the  visible  Church 
of  such  children  is  to  be  inferred  from 
their  position  under  former  dispensations. 

[a)  The  Church  of  God  is  one  in  all  ages. 

(i)  From  its  constitution.  God  and  man 
are  always  the  parties  concerned.     Faith  is 


j6  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

always  the  condition  of  salvation.  The 
sacraments  are  of  like  signification.  The 
one  Son  of  God,  the  one  sacrifice  for  sin, 
the  one  glorious  destiny,  are  always  the 
central  facts. 

(2)  Historically.  Prophecy  declares 
that  the  Church  shall  be  enlarged,  not 
changed — e.g.,  "Sing,  O  heavens;  and 
be  joyful,  O  earth;  and  break  forth  into 
singing,  O  mountains:  for  the  Lord  hath 
comforted  his  people,  and  will  have  mercy 

upon   his   afflicted Lift    up   thine 

eyes  round  about,  and  behold:  all  these 
gather  themselves  together,  and  come  to 
thee.  As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord,  thou 
shalt  surely  clothe  thee  with  them  all,  as 
with  an  ornament,  and  bmd  them  on  thee, 

as     a    bride   doeth The   children 

which  thou  shalt  have,  after  thou  hast  lost 
the  other,  shall  say  again  in  thine  ears. 
The  place  is  too  strait  for  me :  give  place  to 

me  that  I  may  dwell Behold,  I  will 

lift  up  mine  hand  to  the  Gentiles,  and  set 
up  my  standard  to  the  people:  and  they 


W/iy  Infants  Are  Baptized  37 

shall  bring-  thy  sons  in  their  arms,  and  thy 
daughters  shall  be  carried  upon  their 
shoulders."  Isaiah  xlix.  13-22.  So  also 
the  whole  of  the  chapter  (Isaiah  Ix.)  com- 
mencing "Arise,  shine;  for  thy  light  is 
come,"  and  many  other  passages  that 
might  be  cited. 

Christ  was  crucified  before  the  old  dis- 
pensation had  passed  away. 

(3)  Scriptiirally.  "  Christ  hath  redeemed 
us  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  ....  that 
the  blessing  of  Abraham  might  come  on 
the  Gentiles  through  Jesus  Christ;  that 
we  might  receive  the  promise  of  the  Spirit 
through  faith."  Gal.  iii.  13,  14.  "And 
this  I  say,  that  the  covenant  that  was  con- 
firmed before  of  God  in  Christ,  the  law, 
which  was  four  hundred  and  thirty  years 
after,  cannot  disannul,  that  it  should  make 
the  promise  of  none  effect."  Gal.  iii.  17. 
That  is,  the  Jewish  polity  may  come  and 
go,  but  cannot  affect  the  covenant.  "  So 
then  they  which  be  of  faith  are  blessed 
with  faithful  Abraham."    Gal.  iii.  9. 


j8  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

Paul  elsewhere  teaches  distinctly  that 
the  Church,  instead  of  being  abrogated, 
remains  the  same  through  all  change,  the 
Jewish  branches  being  cut  off,  the  Gentile 
branches  being  grafted  in ;  and  that  here- 
after the  Jews  are  to  be  restored,  not  to  a 
new  body,  but  to  their  own  "  olive-tree." 
Compare  Rom.  xi.  18-24;  Eph.  ii.  11-22. 
To  the  same  effect  is  the  whole  tenor  of 
the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews. 

{p)  Children  are  distinctly  declared  to 
be  members,  with  their  parents,  of  the 
Church  under  former  dispensations. 

So  far  as  the  Church  was  organized  and 
developed  in  the  earliest  ages,  we  find 
this  apparently  true,  and  when,  in  the 
time  of  Abraham,  it  was  specifically  set 
apart  from  the  world,  we  find  the  principle 
established  by  direct  statute:  *'I  will 
establish  my  covenant  between  me  and 
thee  and  thy  seed  after  thee  in  their 
generations  for  an  everlasting  covenant^ 
to  be  a  God  juito  thee,  and  to  thy  seed 
after    thee.''     Gen.   xvii.  7,     The   seal    of 


IV/iy  Infants  Are  Baptized         jg 

that  covenant  was  circumcision,  and  by 
the  administration  of  this  sacrament  the 
children  were  publicly  proclaimed  mem- 
bers of  the  household  of  faith. 

The  same  principle  was  again  and  again 
announced  when  the  children  of  Israel, 
under  the  Mosaic  law,  were  still  more 
definitely  separated  from  the  rest  of  the 
world.  The  law  of  circumcision  was  more 
than  a  mere  civil  regulation.  The  act 
was  a  religious  transaction  belonging  to 
the  Church,  of  which  the  terms  of  mem- 
bership (viz.,  faith)  were  the  same  as 
under  the  later  dispensation.  "  He  re- 
ceived the  sign  of  circumcision,  a  seal  of 
the  righteousness  of  the  faith  which  he 
had  yet  being  uncircumcised."  Rom.  iv. 
II.  '' For  the  promise  ....  was  not  to 
Abraham,  or  to  his  seed,  through  the  law, 
but  through  the  righteousness  of  faith." 
Rom.  iv.  13. 

The  question  has  been  sometimes 
raised  why  this  sacrament  should  have 
been    so    ordered   as    to    be    administered 


4^  W/Jiy  Infants  Are  Baptized 

only  to  males.  The  reason  seems  to  be 
that  in  a  day  when  the  leadership  of  the 
family  was  so  distinctly  emphasized,  it 
was  enough  that  the  man,  as  the  repre- 
sentative of  his  family,  should  receive  the 
seal  of  the  covenant.  Male  infants  were 
prospective  representatives  of  families. 
That,  under  the  present  dispensation,  the 
sacrament  should  be  administered  to  both 
sexes  is  simply  in  accordance  with  the 
change  that  all  admit  has  taken  place 
under  the  gospel  in  the  social  position  of 
women.  The  argument  does  not  here 
turn  upon  the  fact  that  infants  were  cir- 
ciuncised^  but  upon  the  anterior  fact,  proved 
by  their  circumcision,  that  they  had  a 
birthright  in  the  Church.  This,  of  course, 
was  as  true  of  female  as  of  male  children. 
If  then  the  Church  is  identical  in  all 
ages  and  under  all  dispensations,  and  if  in 
former  days  the  children  of  believing  par- 
ents had  a  birthright  in  the  Church,  the 
argument  is  a  fortiori  that  such  children 
still    enjoy    such    birthright.       Presump- 


W/i_y  Infants  Are  Baptized  -// 

tively  the  Church  under  the  gospel  would 
not  be  narrower  than  under  the  law.  The 
only  ground  upon  which  this  conclusion 
can  be  obviated  is  that  they  are  deprived 
by  express  statute  of  their  ancient  privi- 
leges. 

3.  That  the  children  of  church  members 
have  a  birthright  in  the  visible  Church  is 
implied  in  direct  Scripture  statements. 

It  is  self-evident  that  such  statements 
are  capable  of  being  .differently  inter- 
preted or  misunderstood,  or  there  would 
be  no  conflict  of  opinion  among  honest, 
intelligent  students.     We  cite : — 

{a)  All  of  the  very  numerous  statements 
that  children  are  blessed  for  their  parents' 
sake,  e.  g. ,  the  second  commandment: 
''showing  mercy  unto  thousands  (i.  e., 
generations)  of  them  that  serve  me." 

''O  that  there  were  such  a  heart  in 
them,  that  they  would  fear  me,  and  keep 
all  my  commandments  always,  that  it 
might  be  well  with  them,  and  ivitJi  their 
children  forever!"     Deut.  v.  29. 


^2  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

''  For  they  are  the  seed  of  the  blessed 
of  the  Lord,  and  tJicir  offspring  with 
them"    Isaiah  Ixv.  23. 

"They  shall  remember  me  in  far  coun- 
tries; and  they  shall  live  with  their  chil- 
dren^ and  turn  again. "    Zech.  x.  9. 

''And  they  shall  dwell  therein,  even 
they,  and  their  children,  and  their  chil- 
dren's children  forever:  and  my  servant 
David  shall  be  their  prince  forever." 
Ezek.  xxxvii.  25. 

"For  the  promise  is  unto  you,  and  to 
your  children."    Acts  ii.  39. 

{b)  Such  suggestive  statements  as  that 
Jesus  blessed  little  children  Q3pi<p7]  new 
born  babes),  (Matt.  xix.  14;  Luke  xviii.  15, 
16) ;  that  he  said,  "  Of  such  is  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,"  i.  e.,  the  visible  Church  under 
the  new  dispensation;  that  he  directed 
Peter  to  feed  the  "  lambs"  as  well  as  the 
sheep.     John  xxi.  15-17. 

(c)  The  distinct  announcement:  "For 
the  unbelieving  husband  is  sanctified  by 
the  wife,  and  the  unbelieving  wife  is  sane- 


PV/ijf  ///faults  Are  Baptized  43 

tified  by  the  husband :  else  were  your  chil- 
dren unclean;  but  now  are  they  holy  {ayui). 
I  Cor.  vii.  14. 

"Ayio^  and  aytot.  are  the  common  designa- 
tion of  Christians,  referred  to  as  Church 
members.  Acts  ix.  13,  32  ;  xxvi.  10  ; 
Rom.  i.  7 ;  i  Cor.  i.  2,  etc.  In  the  text 
under  consideration  the  same  term  is  ap- 
plied to  the  children. 

It  has  been  objected  with  apparent  force 
that  as  the  "  unbelieving  wife  "  or  ''  hus- 
band "  is  said  to  be  sanctified  {rjiaffzal) 
that  the  same  reasoning  would  involve  the 
church-membership  of  the  adult  unbeliever. 
It  is  to  be  remembered,  however,  that  the 
force  of  the  passage  for  our  present  pur- 
pose lies  in  the  fact  that  the  reference  to 
the  children  is  only  incidental.  The 
apostle  is  not  discussing  the  position  of 
children  nor  arguing  that  they  are  ayid. 
He  assumes  it  as  a  fact  universally  ad- 
mitted, and  from  it  argues  that  the  unbe- 
lieving wife  or  husband  must  be,  in  this 
regard,  considered  as  standing  in  the  same 


44-  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

relation  to  the  believing  partner  as  if 
sanctified.  Their  union  is  as  truly  in  the 
Church  as  if  both  parties  were  members. 
''There  is  no  need,"  he  says  in  effect, 
"to  put  away  the  unbelieving  wife,  for 
she  must  be  in  some  sense  sanctified 
by  her  marriage  relation,  inasmuch  as  it 
is  an  admitted  fact  that  the  children  are 
ayia^  holy — i.  e. ,  church  members." 

The  passage  seems,  therefore,  to  be 
perfectly  clear  in  regard  to  the  position  of 
the  children,  and  doubtful  only  as  to  what 
is  implied  in  regard  to  the  unbelieving 
wife  or  husband. 

Thus,  from  the  divine  appointment  of 
the  family  relation,  from  the  position  of 
children  under  former  dispensations,  and 
from  the  distinct  Scripture  statements,  we 
conclude  that  the  children  of  church  mem- 
bers fulfill  the  first  condition  prerequisite 
to  baptism:  they  have  membership  as  a 
birthright  in  the  visible  Church. 


IV/iy  Infants  Are  Baptized  /j 

Seeond  Condition — Presumptive  Regen- 
eration. 

Baptism,  as  we  have  seen,  symbolizes 
regeneration,  but  presumptive  regenera- 
tion is  all  that  we  can  predicate  of  any 
candidate  whether  old  or  young.  God 
only  reads  the  heart,  and  we  have  reason  to 
believe  that  all  churches  contain  unworthy 
members.  Among  the  apostles,  called  even 
by  the  Lord  himself,  there  was  a  Judas; 
Paul  was  forsaken  by  Demas;  and  this 
experience  has  been  repeated  in  every 
age. 

Thus  in  regard  to  the  children  of  be- 
lievers, it  cannot  be  asked  that  their  regen- 
eration shall  be  proved  as  an  invariable 
fact,  but  only  that  there  shall  be  proved  to 
be  in  its  favor  a  presumption  such  as  we 
deem  necessary  in  the  case  of  adult  candi- 
dates for  the  same  sacrament. 

That  there  is  warrant  for  such  presump- 
tion, and  that  the  children  of  believers  are 
to  be  treated  as  regenerate,  we  argue 
from  the  following  considerations: — 


^6  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

I.  The  regeneration  of  infants  is  pos- 
sible. 

(a)  Regeneration  is  a  work  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  transforming  the  soul.  It  is  the 
divine  side  of  that  great  change  of  which 
the  human  side  is  ''repentance  "  (/xszd^^ota) 
or  conversion.  Logically,  the  act  of  God 
must  precede  the  act  of  man,  although  in 
point  of  time  they  may  be  often  coincident. 
The  Holy  Ghost  can  change  the  heart  of 
the  confirmed  bigot  and  persecutor  Saul; 
he  can  transform,  if  it  pleases  him  so  to 
do,  the  moral  nature  of  an  infant. 

(b)  A  conscious  acceptance  of  Christ  at 
the  moment  of  regeneration  is  not  a 
necessary  accompaniment.  We  believe 
that  all  children  dying  in  unconscious  in- 
fancy are  saved.  They  enter  heaven  only 
as  redeemed  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb, 
and  as  with  a  moral  nature  transformed 
by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Their 
first  conscious  thought  must  be  in  har- 
mony with  the  will  of  God,  but  the 
great    moral   change — their   regeneration 


IV/if  Infants  Are  Baptized  // 

— preceded  it  while  they  were  still  un- 
conscious.* 

2.  This  moral  change  wrought  by  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  credible  in  the  case  of  the 
children  of  believers. 

{a)  Because  it  is  spiritually  parallel  to 
church  membership,  the  proof  of  which  in 
their  case  has  been  already  cited.  If  the 
external  relationship  is  permitted,  the 
higher  spiritual  relationship  that  alone 
gives  it  value  may  be  expected. 

(b)  Because  of  the  reiterated  promises 
that  children  shall  be  blessed  spiritually  as 
well  as  temporally  with  their  parents. 

{c)  Because  there  is  no  limit  to  the  spirit- 
ual blessings  that  God  vouchsafes  in  an- 
swer to  the  prayer  of  faith. 

Certainly  it  would  be  an  incomparable 
spiritual   blessing   were   our   children   re- 

*  "  Moreover  infants  who  are  to  be  saved  (and  that  some 
are  saved  at  this  age  is  certain)  must,  without  question,  be 
previously  regenerated  by  the  Lord.  For  if  they  bring  in- 
nate corruption  with  them  from  their  mother's  womb,  ihey 
must  be  purified  before  they  can  be  admitted  into  the  king- 
dom of  God,  into  which  shall  not  enter  anything  that  de- 
fileth." — Calvin,  [nstitut.,  iv.  xvi.  i.  See  Appendix,  Note  C. 


4-8  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

generate  from  the  very  hour  of  birth. 
There  is  no  spiritual  gift  which  is  possible 
for  which  we  are  not  encouraged  to  pray 
in  hope  of  a  response  from  on  high.  As 
this  blessing  is  plainly  possible^  it  becomes 
a  duty  to  pray  for  it,  and  if  we  do  thus 
pray  in  faith,  have  we  not  every  assurance 
that  our  prayer  will  be  heard  ? 

(<^)  Because  faithful  training,  which  is 
one  of  the  divinely  appointed  means  of 
grace,  can  be  foreseen  by  God  and  re- 
sponded to  by  an  anticipatory  blessing. 

(^)  Because  in  no  other  way  under 
human  instrumentality  can  the  growth  of 
the  Church  be  so  certainly  assured  as  by 
the  nurture  within  her  bosom  of  a  godly 
seed. 

3.  Not  only. is  the  regeneration  from 
earliest  infancy  of  the  children  of  believers 
possible  and  credible^  but  Scripture  expres- 
sions encourage  us  to  expect  it. 

"Thou  art  he  that  took  me  out  of  the 
womb:  thou  didst  make  me  hope  when 
I  was  upon  my  mother's  breasts.     I  was 


ly/ij/  I)  if  ants  Are  Baptized  4g 

cast  upon  thee  from  the  womb :  from  my 
mother's  womb,  my  God  art  thou."  Ps. 
xxii.  9,  lo. 

"Thou  art  my  trust  from  my  youth. 
By  thee  have  I  been  holden  up  from  the 
womb."    Ps.  Ixxi.  5,  6. 

''And  did  not  he  make  one  ?  Yet  had 
he  the  residue  of  the  spirit.  And  where- 
fore one  ?  That  he  might  seek  a  godly 
seed."     Mai,  ii.  15. 

''And,  ye  fathers,  provoke  not  your 
children  to  wrath  :  but  bring  them  up 
{ixrpiiftz-)  in  the  nurture  and  admonition 
of  the  Lord."     Eph.  vi.  4. 

Of  John  it  is  said,  "He  shall  be  filled 
with  the  Holy  Ghost,  even  from  his 
mother's  womb"  (Luke  i.  15);  of  Jere- 
miah, "Before  I  formed  thee  ....  I 
knew  thee  ;  and  before  thou  camest  forth 
out  of  the  womb  I  sanctified  thee,  and  I 
ordained  thee  a  prophet  unto  the  nations." 
Jer.  i.  5. 

4.  Facts  in  the  Church  favor  the  belief 
that  the  children    of  believers   are  to  be 


jO  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

presumed  regenerate  till  the  contrary 
appears. 

{a)  Scripture  examples  are  many.  We 
read  of  Samuel  (i  Sam.  i.  27,  28;  ii.  11, 
18,  26;  iii.  i);  of  Jeremiah  (Jer.  i.  5);  of 
John  the  Baptist.      Luke  i.  15. 

{l?)  Where  parents  pray  in  faith  for  the 
presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  upon  their 
children,  are  watchful  in  Christian  nurture 
and  look  for  the  evidences  of  a  spiritual 
change,  ordinarily  they  are  not  disap- 
pointed. They  do  not  indeed  find  their 
children  free  from  temptation,  folly,  and 
sin,  any  more  than  they  find  the  adult 
Christian  perfectly  sanctified ;  but  they  do 
fiot  ordinarily  find  their  children  com- 
mitted to  the  service  of  the  devil.  On  the 
other  hand,  they  find  their  earliest  emo- 
tions drawn  out  toward  God  with  sincere 
desire  to  do  his  w411.  There  is  no  Chris- 
tian who  has  not  seen  such  instances  and 
rejoiced  in  them.  The  reason,  alas!  that 
they  are  not  more  frequent  is  that  very 
seldom  do  parents  have  such  faith;    and 


IF/ij  Infants  Are  Baptized  51 

still  more  rarely  do  they  train  their  off- 
spring as  young  Christians  within  the 
Church  of  God. 

(r)  The  great  majority  of  those  who  con- 
fess Christ  before  men  are  children  of 
Christian  parents.  So  true  is  this  that, 
notwithstanding  the  want  of  faith  upon 
the  part  of  parents  and  their  neglect  of 
true  Christian  nurture,  there  is  little  risk 
in  saying  that  the  spiritual  condition  at 
twenty  years  of  age,  of  any  given  number 
of  children  of  Christian  parents,  would 
compare  favorably  with  the  condition, 
twenty  years  after  baptism,  of  the  same 
number  of  persons  presumptively  converted 
and  baptized  in  adult  years. 

5.  All  Churches  that  baptize  infants  do 
so  upon  the  ground  that  they  may  be  re- 
generated in  infancy. 

This  is  of  course  true  of  those  Churches 
(the  Roman  and  Greek*)  which  hold  that 

*  The  Greek  Church  baptizes  infants,  but  at  the  same 
time  insists  upon  immersion  as  the  proper  mode,  thus  in- 
dicating that  there  is  no  necessary  connection,  as  some 
seem  to  think,  between  restriction  in  reference  to  the  sub- 


^2  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

the  sacraments  convey  spiritual  grace 
ex  opere  operato ;  but  it  is  equally  true 
of  the  different  branches  of  the  Reformed 
Church  which  most  earnestly  deny  that 
any  such  efficacy  is  inherent  in  the  sacra- 
ment itself. 

The  Protestant  Episcopal  Church 
teaches  (Art.  27) :  ''  Baptism  is  not  only  a 
sign  of  profession  and  mark  of  difference, 
but  is  also  a  sign  of  regeneration  or  New 
Birth."  In  the  Baptismal  Office  the  words 
are  used  "  Seeing  that  this  child  is  regen- 
erate,* and  grafted  into  the  body  of 
Christ's  Church. "  This  is  often  construed 
to  mean  more  than  we  have  maintained  ; 
it  certainly  means  no  less. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  re- 
peats essentially  (Art.  17)  the  27th  Article 
of  the  Episcopal  Church. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Hibbard,  in  a  work  that 
has  the  endorsement  of  the  Methodist 
Book  Concern,  says:    "In    the   following 

jects  and  restriction  in  regard  to  mode.  See  Appendix, 
Note  D. 

*  See  Appendix,  Note  E. 


IV/ij/  Infants  Are  Baptized  SJ 

treatise  I  have  assumed  that  infants  are 
in  a  regenerated  state,"  (p.  5)  and  again, 
*'  Infants  are  in  a  gracious  state.  .  .'  .  . 
Baptism  is  an  outward  sign  of  an  inward 
work  of  grace,  ....  a  token  of  confirma- 
tion that  the  subject  belongs  to  the  spirit- 
ual family  of  God.  All  who  belong  to 
the  spiritual  family  of  God  are  entitled  to 
baptism  "  (p.  89). 

The  Lutheran  Church  holds  that  ''The 
regeneration  or  new  life  implanted  by 
means  of  baptism  in  the  case  of  an  infant 
is  the  gracious  presence  and  activity  of 
God  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  infant  does 
not  resist  the  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
when  therefore  grace  is  offered  in  baptism 
there  is  divinely  wrought  a  receptivity  of 
grace.  The  baptismal  grace  bestowed  on 
infants,  however,  first  comes  into  exercise 
through  self-conscious  repentance  and 
faith."  Standards,  as  quoted  in  the  Lu- 
theran Cyclopcedia. 

The  Church  of  the  United  Brethren 
(Moravian)  teaches  in  the  Litany  at  Bap- 


5-J-  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

tism  of  Children  :  ' '  Baptism  is  the  an- 
swer of  a  good  conscience  toward  God, 
who  hath  saved  us  by  the  washing  of  re- 
generation and  renewing  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  which  is  shed  on  us  abundantly 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour.  Chil- 
dren, also,  may  be  made  partakers  of  this 
grace. "  The  Heidelberg  Catechism  teaches 
(Ques.  74)  :  "  Are  infants  also  to  be  bap- 
tized ?  Yes ;  for  since  they,  as  well  as  the 
adult,  are  included  in  the  covenant  and 
Church  of  God,  and  since  redemption  from 
sin  by  the  blood  of  Christ  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  the  author  of  faith,  is  promised  to 
them  no  less  than  to  the  adult ;  they  must, 
therefore,"  etc. 

The  Dordrecht  Confession  of  Faith 
teaches  (Art.  34):  ''And  indeed  Christ 
shed  his  blood  no  less  for  the  washing  of 
the  children  of  the  faithful  than  for  the 
adult  persons;  and,  therefore,  they  ought 
to  receive  the  sign  and  sacrament  of  that 
which  Christ  hath  done  for  them. ' ' 

The   Westminster  Confession  of   Faith 


W/ij^  Infants  Are  Baptized  jj 

having  explained  (Chap.  28,  Sec.  I)  that 
*'  Baptism  is  a  sacrament  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament, ordained  by  Jesus  Christ,  not  only 
for  the  solemn  admission  of  the  party  bap- 
tized into  the  visible  Church,  but  also  to 
be  unto  him  a  sign  and  seal  of  the  coven- 
ant of  grace,  of  his  ingrafting  into  Christ, 
of  regeneration  .  .  .  .  ,  and  of  his  giving 
up  unto  God,  through  Jesus  Christ,  to  walk 
in  newness  of  life,"  proceeds  to  say  (Sec. 
IV):  **  Not  only  those  that  do  actually 
profess  faith  in,  and  obedience  unto 
Christ,  but  also  the  infants  of  one  or  both 
believing  parents  are  to  be  baptized." 
(Sec.  VI)  "The  efficacy  of  baptism  is 
not  tied  to  that  moment  of  time  wherein 
it  is  administered;  yet,  notwithstanding, 
by  the  right  use  of  this  ordinance  the 
grace  promised  is  not  only  offered,  but 
really  exhibited  and  conferred  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  to  such  (whether  of  age  or  infants) 
as  that  grace  belongeth  unto,  according  to 
the  counsel  of  God's  own  will,  in  his  ap- 
pointed time." 


^6  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

In  the  Directory  for  Worship  in  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  the  minister  is  en- 
joined to  explain  before  baptism  ''That 
it  is  instituted  by  Christ ;  that  it  is  a  seal 
of  the  righteousness  of  faith:  that  the 
seed  of  the  faithful  have  no  less  a  right  to 
this  ordinance,  under  the  gospel,  than  the 
seed  of  Abraham  to  circumcision,  under 
the  Old  Testament;  that  Christ  com- 
manded all  nations  to  be  baptized  ;  that 
he  blessed  little  children,  declaring  that 
of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven;  that 
children  are  federally  holy^  and  therefore 
ought  to  be  baptized  ;  that  we  are,  by 
nature,  sinful,  guilty,  and  polluted,  and 
have  need  of  cleansing  by  the  blood  of 
Christ,  and  by  the  sanctifying  influences 
of  the  Spirit  of  God." 

These  quotations  will  suffice  to  show 
that  among  the  standards  of  all  churches 
which  baptize  infants  there  is  a  virtual 
agreement  in  regard  to  the  significance  of 
the  sacrament  in  their  case,  and  the  as- 
sumption upon  which  it  is  to  be  adminis- 


W/ty  hifants  Are  Baptized  57 

tered.  This  assumption,  be  it  remem- 
bered, is  not  that  in  every  instance  regen- 
erating grace  has  been  certainly  accorded. 
This  supposition  is  as  impossible  as  in 
the  face  of  facts  to  assume  that  all  adult 
candidates  will  prove  to  have  truly  re- 
ceived the  grace  of  God,  or  that  all  pro- 
fessors will  be  literally  ''saints''  (dyioi — 
holy  ones) ;  but  as  sacraments  and  ordi- 
nances are  framed  for  a  Church  in  its 
normal  condition,  so  the  children  of  be- 
lievers may  as  properly  be  treated  as  regen- 
erate, which  they  certainly  would  be  were 
their  parents  in  the  full  sense  of  the 
word  "holy,"  as  the  parents  themselves 
may  still  be  called,  even  by  apostolic  wis- 
dom, '' saints y 

Inasmuch,  therefore,  as  the  regenera- 
tion in  earliest  infancy  of  the  children  of 
believers  is  not  only  possible  but  credible  ; 
as  the  presumption  of  it  is  implied  in  cer- 
tain Scripture  statements^  and  in  many  in- 
stances manifests  itself  as  a  fact  ;  and  as 
it  is,  in  the  ways  indicated,  assumed  in  the 


jS  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

standards  of  such  Churches  as  permit  the 
baptism  of  infants,  the  conclusion  is  a  just 
one  that  the  children  of  believers  fulfill 
the  second  condition  prerequisite  to  bap- 
tism,— they  2,XQ  presumptively  regenerate. 

Third  condition — Capability  of  receiv- 
htg  spiritual  grace. 

If  the  conclusions  already  reached  are 
just,  it  is  unnecessary  to  argue  at  length 
that  infants  may  be  made  recipients  of 
spiritual  grace.  There  have  been  many 
discussions  concerning  the  nature  of 
original  sin  and  the  possibility  of  innate 
guilt,  but  the  generally  received  Catholic 
view  always  has  been  that  every  soul 
possesses  a  moral  character  of  some  kind 
antecedent  to  its  actual  conscious  choices. 
Thus  by  changes  wrought  in  that  moral 
character  every  soul,  even  before  self-con- 
sciousness, is  capable  of  receiving  spiritual 
grace ;  and  infants,  when  brought  by  be- 
lieving parents  to  the  sacrament  of  bap- 
tism, may  receive  or  may  have  already  re- 


IVky  Infants  Are  Baptized  J^ 

ceived  that  promised  grace  which,  in  the 
words  of  the  Westminster  Confession,  is 
''  not  only  offered  but  really  exhibited  and 
conferred  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  such 
(whether  of  age  or  infants)  as  that  grace 
belongeth  unto,  according  to  the  counsel 
of  God's  own  will,  in  his  appointed  time." 

Any  objection  to  this  view,  that  special 
blessing,  even  in  the  case  of  infants,  may 
be  connected  with  the  actual  reception  of 
baptism,  applies  equally  to  any  conception 
of  the  sacraments  that  looks  upon  them  as 
more  than  simply  memorial  rites. 

If  special  ordinances  have  been  estab- 
lished by  the  great  Head  of  the  Church, 
and  with  them  certain  blessings  promised, 
it  will  not  do  to  say  that,  because  these 
blessings  are  spiritual,  it  is  a  matter  of  in- 
difference whether  or  not  the  external  or- 
dinance is  observed.  This  is  to  insult  God 
by  dishonoring  his  commands. 

And  if  the  blessing  is  the  free  gift  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  vouchsafed  in  response  to 
the  prayer  of   faith  and  the  act  of  obedi- 


6o  Why  Infa7its  Are  Baptized 

ence,  it  may  be  as  certainly  looked  for 
when  the  believing  parent,  trusting  in  the 
abundant  promises  of  God,  brings  his  child 
to  receive  the  appointed  seal  of  his  mem- 
bership in  Christ's  Church,  as  when  the 
full-grown  sinner,  repenting  and  turning 
from  the  error  of  his  ways,  listens  to  the 
invitation  of  the  gospel  and  bows  to  accept 
the  offered  sacrament. 

Thus  the  children  of  believers  fulfill  the 
third  condition  prerequisite  to  baptism, — 
they  are  capable  of  receiving  spiritual 
grace. 

If,  then,  it  is  true,  as  we  have  endeav- 
ored to  prove,  that  the  infant  children  of 
believers  fulfill  all  the  conditions  prerequi- 
site to  baptism— namely,  membership  in 
the  visible  Church,  presumptive  regenera- 
tion, and  capability  of  receiving  spiritual 
grace — then  it  follows  that  ive  have  as  dis- 
tinct divine  command  to  baptize  such  in- 
fa?its  as  to  baptize  adult  believers. 


III. 


Scripture   References. 


c^m^^^^'  ^o^cl'^sions  at  which  we  thus 
"^  arrive    from  the   study   of   the 

meaning  of  the  sacrament  and 
of  the  qualifications  of  its  re- 
cipients, as  revealed  in  the  Scriptures,  is 
confirmed  by  the  incidental  references  in 
apostolic  history  and  in  the  inspired  epis- 
tles. 

There  are  but  seven  cases  recorded  of 
baptisms  of  individuals  designated  by 
name.  In  tzvo  instances,  those  of  Paul 
and  the  Ethiopian  eunuch,  there  could 
have  been  no  question  in  regard  to  chil- 
dren. In  three  of  the  remaining  in- 
stances— namely,  Lydia,  the  Philippian 
jailor,  and  vStephanas — it  is  expressly 
stated  that  with  the  head  of  the  family  the 


62  Wliy  Infants  Are  Baptized 

^^  honsehold'^  was  baptized,  while  in  the 
cases  of  Cornelius  and  Crispus,  though  no 
express  statement  is  made,  the  narrative 
leads  us  to  the  same  conclusion.  It  is,  of 
course,  possible  to  assume  that  in  none  of 
these  households  were  there  young  chil- 
dren, but  this  is  not  the  natural  inference. 
This  specific  and  repeated  mention  of  the 
baptism  of  ^^households  "  leads  rather  to  the 
conviction  that  the  facts  are  thus  empha- 
sized with  the  express  purpose  of  estab- 
lishing the  propriety  of  baptizing  the  chil- 
dren of  believers. 

It  is  to  be  noticed,  too,  that  Paul,  in  epis- 
tles addressed  specifically  to  "saints/'  in- 
cludes admonitions  to  the  children.  Eph. 
vi.  1-3;  Col.  iii.  20. 

Indeed,  upon  any  other  ground  than  the 
apostolic  sanction,  it  seems  impossible  that 
the  baptism  of  infants  could  have  obtained 
the  position  in  the  Church  that  confessedly 
it  held  as  early  as  the  middle  of  the  third 
century.  See  Neander's  Ch.  History,  Vol. 
i,  pp.  311  et  seg. 


Why  Infants  Are  Baptized  6j 

There  would  be  at  least  some  record  of 
its  introduction  and  of  opposition  to  the 
innovation. 


IV. 


Position  in  the  Church. 

T  may  also  be  safely  affirmed 
that  the  position  in  the  Church 
of  children  baptized  in  in- 
fancy is  in  all  respects  as  fa- 
vorable to  growth  in  grace  as  that  of 
those  who  first  enter  in  adult  years. 
Both  alike  enter  at  the  hopeful  beginning 
of  Christian  life.  The  Church  is  not 
simply  the  home  of  the  sanctified,  but  of 
those  to  be  sanctified.  It  is  the  place 
w^here  babes  in  Christ  are  to  be  nurtured 
and  developed  until  they  ''come  in  the 
unity  of  the  faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of 
the  Son  of  God,  unto  a  perfect  man,  unto 
the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fullness 
of  Christ." 

The  adult  no  more  than   the  infant  is  a 
5  (65) 


66  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

perfected  saint.  The  one  question  is 
whether  he  believes  upon  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  He  is  welcomed,  even  though  he 
be  ignorant  in  regard  to  many  points  of 
doctrinal  belief,  very  imperfect  in  moral 
character,  and  entirely  undisciplined  in  the 
duties  of  Christian  life.  Indeed  there  is, 
humanly  speaking,  greater  risk  involved 
in  undertaking  his  future  Christian  nur- 
ture than  that  of  the  child  born  of  Chris- 
tian parents,  guarded  and  cherished  by 
their  watchful  love,  strengthened  by  their 
prayers,  and  thus  developing  and  growing 
up  from  tender  infancy  within  the  sacred 
pale  of  the  Church. 

We  may  add.  that  the  principles  which 
we  believe  thus  to  establish  the  duty  of 
infant  baptism  also  apply  in  their  general 
form  to  those  cases  where  children  are 
presented  by  Christians  who,  though  not 
the  parents,  are  willing  and  able  to  take 
their  place — to  stand  in  loco  parentis — and 
assume  to  the  full  extent  the  obligations 
of  the  Christian  nurture  of  the  infant  dis- 


Why  Infants  Are  Bapti::^ed  6y 

ciple.  This  quasi-parental  relation  is  the 
true  foundation  of  what  is  sometimes 
termed  "  household  baptism." 

It  seems  also  to  be  the  ground  upon 
which  orig-inally  sponsors  were  required. 
The  custom  had  its  rise  in  the  time  of  perse- 
cution, when  Christian  parents  were  liable 
to  be  torn  away  from  their  infant  children, 
and  some  assurance  was  needed  that  those 
thus  bereft  of  their  natural  guardians 
would  not  be  allowed  to  lapse  into  idola- 
try. In  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church, 
where  this  custom  is  still  continued,  it  is 
assumed  that  the  sponsors  are  themselves 
true  believers  and  are  willing  and  able  to 
care  for  the  spiritual  nurture  of  the  child 
in  whose  name  they  have  confessed  the 
Christian  faith.  * 

*  See  Office  for  the  "  Ministration  of  Public  Baptism  of 
Infants,"  Prot.  Epis.  Prayer  Book. 


Objections 


^^  T  seems  proper,  in  order  to  com- 
cl%r  plete  the  consideration  of  this 
J^  subject,  to  refer  somewhat  in 
detail  to  objections  that,  with 
more  or  less  force,  are  urged  against  the 
baptism  of  infants. 

The  following  include  those  most  com- 
monly proposed : 

/.  Baptism  can   do  an  unconscious  babe 
no  good. 

With  equal  truth  it  may  be  said,  bap- 
tism does  the  dAvW,  '^  no  good.''  Immedi- 
ate moral  effect  upon  the  recipient  is  not 
the  prime  end  and  object  of  the  sacra- 
ment. In  the  case  of  the  infant,  as  in  that 
of  the  adult,  it  indicates  a  relationship  to 
the  Church  and  symbolizes  a  spiritual  state. 
(69) 


fo  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

So  far  as  spiritual  grace  is  imparted  in 
the  sacrament,  it  may  be  as  truly'  con- 
ferred in  the  one  case  as  in  the  other,  and 
so  far  as  promises  of  Christian  life  are 
concerned,  the  parents  speak  for  the  child. 

2.  The  Church  is  a  voluntary  associa- 
tion. It  is  not  fair  to  put  children  therein 
without  their  consent. 

The  question  whether  the  Church  is 
necessarily  in  every  case  a  '^voluntary 
association  "  is  at  issue.  The  great  ma- 
jority of  Christians  do  not  believe  that 
it  is.  If  it  is  not  fair  that  children  should 
be  so  placed  without  their  consent,  still  it 
is  just  what  God  permits  in  every  other 
relation  of  life.  Under  the  working  of 
the  great  natural  laws  that  for  the  wisest 
purpose  he  has  ordained,  one  is  born  here, 
another  there  ;  one  in  a  palace,  another 
in  a  hovel  ;  one  in  a  Christian  family,  an- 
other in  the  home  of  a  profligate  or  a 
criminal.  Strangely  enough,  as  some  may 
think,  children  are  not  even  consulted  as  to 
whether   they  shall   be  born  at  all.     God 


W/if  Infants  Are  Baptized  Ji 

orders  our  lives  in  accordance  with  far- 
reaching"  plans,  often  far  beyond  our  com- 
prehension. 

3,  The  view  presented  makes  a  distinction 
between  children  equally  innocent  in  the 
sight  of  God. 

It  does  not  hold  that  the  children  of  be- 
lievers are  by  nature,  aside  from  the  ope- 
ration of  the  Spirit,  any  better  than  other 
children. 

It  simply  acknowledges /"^r/j"  that  must 
be  faced.  The  children  of  a  Christian 
certainly  are,  ordinarily,  born  to  the  en- 
joyment of  special  advantages  and  privi- 
leges. If  the  parents  are  sincere,  the  chil- 
dren have  their  prayers,  their  faithful  train- 
ing, their  tender  counsel.  Nurtured  amid 
all  the  advantages  of  the  associations  of  the 
Church,  the  probabilities,  humanly  speak- 
ing, of  such  children  developing  as  Chris- 
tians are  almost  infinitely  greater  than  if 
they  were  children  of  heathen  or  of  godless 
people.  Is  any  greater  distinction  made  in 
saying  that  they  are  born  within  the  pale  of 


7-?  JV/ij/  Infants  Are  Baptized 

the  Church  ?  The  expression  simply  sums 
up  the  facts. 

</.  This  view  savors  of  "■  baptismal  re- 
ge7ierationy 

On  the  other  hand,  it  teaches  just  the 
opposite  doctrine.  The  theory  commonly 
called  that  of  ''  baptismal  regeneration*^ 
holds  that  by  virtue  of  the  application  of 
water  in  the  name  of  the  Trinity  the  sac- 
rament becomes,  ex  opere  operato,  the 
efficacious  means  of  regeneration. 

The  view  here  presented  looks  upon  the 
application  of  water  in  the  sacrament  as 
symbolizing  the  change  already  presump- 
tively accomplished  by  the  power  of  theHoly 
Spirit.  Here  adults  and  infants  stand  upon 
precisely  the  same  ground.  While  in  both 
cases  regeneration  is  the  presumption,  in 
neither  case  is  it  assumed  as  invariably  or 
certainly  accomplished.  Nor  do  we  in  the 
one  case  more  than  in  the  other  rebaptize 
those  who,  having  lapsed  into  sin,  are  in 
after  years,  as  they  suppose  for  the  first 
time,  hopefully  converted. 


Why  Infants  Are  Baptized  7; 

5.  Whether  a  ehild  shall  grozv  np  a 
Christian  depends  largely  upon  his  train- 
ing. Hoii\  then,  can  he  be  regenerate 
antecedent  to  sticJi  influences  ? 

The  whole  course  of  each  life  is  from 
the  beginning  in  the  hand  of  God.  The 
future  training  as  well  as  the  present 
prayer  of  faith  is  known  to  God.  There 
is  no  greater  mystery  involved  here  than 
in  any  other  case  where  God  and  man  are 
coworkers.  It  is  also  true  of  the  adult 
Christian  that  his  future  faithfulness  de- 
pends largely  upon  the  associations  into 
which  he  shall  be  thrown. 

6.  Under  such  a  system  there  are  church 
members  who  have  7iot  all  the  privileges  of 
membership. 

Of  course;  just  as  there  are  infant  mem- 
bers of  a  family  under  tutors  and  gover- 
nors; just  as  there  are  infant  citizens  of  a 
State.  That  under  certain  circumstances 
there  may  be  members  of  the  Church  who 
are  not  entitled  to  all  its  privileges  must 
be  admitted  under  any  theory,  e.g.,  mem- 


7/  W/iy  Infants  Are  Baptized 

bers  suspended  from  communion  but 
not  excommunicated.  Infant  church 
members,  like  adult,  are  entitled  to  all  the 
privileges  they  are  capable  of  enjoying. 
Should  an  adult  member  become  insane  or 
idiotic  he  would  not  cease  to  be  a  member 
because  he  might  be  for  the  time  incapable 
of  enjoying  all  the  privileges  of  the  Church. 

Our  Directory  says  of  children  of  the 
Church,  ''When  they  come  to  years  of 
discretion,"  and  are  otherwise  qualified, 
"  they  ought  to  be  informed  "  {iiot  that  they 
then  come  into  any  new  relationship,  but) 
that  "it  is  their  duty  and  their  privilege  to 
come  to  the  Lord's  supper." 

7.  Many  persons  are  assumed  to  be  mem- 
bers of  the  Church  zuho  in  after  years  give 
little  proof  of  being  Christians. 

Very  naturally !  while  among  those  who 
have  their  children  baptized  there  is  such 
a  lamentable  want  of  knowledge,  faith  and 
fidelity  in  training;  but  the  number  is 
much  smaller  than  is  frequently  alleged. 
The  great  majority  of  the  children  of  the 


W/ij  Infants  Are  Baptirjcd  75 

Church,  and  especially  of  those  whose 
spiritual  culture  has  not  been  plainly 
neglected,  do  sooner  or  later  manifest  a 
living  hope  in  Christ.  It  may  be  added 
that  many  such  children,  doubtless  Chris- 
tians from  infancy,  being  wrongly  in- 
structed, wait,  before  avowing  them- 
selves as  such,  for  some  further  conscious, 
sudden  change  or  mysterious  experience 
which  never  comes,  and  gradually  they 
fall  into  the  position  of  backsliding  Chris- 
tians. If  the  Church  were  in  its  normal 
condition  there  would  be  none  such,  either 
old  or  young,  for  the  case  of  such  chil  - 
dren  finds  its  precise  parallel  in  that  of 
many  baptized  in  adult  years.  Some  are 
false  to  their  vows,  or  were  self-deceived 
What  has  their  baptism  availed  ? 

8.  If  church  members y  children  who  do  not 
live  as  Christians  should  be  disciplined. 

In  effect  they  are.  If,  when  of  sufficient 
years,  they  refuse  to  confess  Christ,  they  are 
virtually  suspended  from  communion.  A 
State  might  require  that  all  children  upon 


j6  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

reaching  maturity  should  take  the  oath  of 
allegiance.  If  any  refused  to  do  so  their 
rights  as  citizens  would  lapse.  We  have 
many  adult  Christians  who  neglect  their 
privileges  as  communicants  through  mis- 
conception, morbid  self-consciousness,  or 
indifference,  remaining  for  months  and 
even  years  away  from  the  sacramental 
table.  Ordinarily,  if  their  lives  are  not 
scandalous  and  they  seem  honest  in  their 
misconception,  we  must  content  ourselves 
with  advice  and  private  expostulation. 

That  the  children  of  the  Church  are 
often  neglected  and  allowed  unrebuked  to 
forget  their  responsibilities  and  wander 
away  from  spiritual  influences  is  too  true, 
and  is  a  shame  and  a  reproach  to  the  office- 
bearers of  our  congregations. 

p.  By  his  baptism  in  infa?icy  the  child  is 
defrauded  of  his  privilege  of  freely  choosing ^  in 
later  years,  his  position,  a7id  thus  confessing 
Christ  for  himself. 

His  choice  is  none  the  less  free  because  he 
is  surrounded  by  good  influences,  because 


W/ij  Infants  Are  Baptized  77 

he  receives  the  blessings  of  a  Christian  nur- 
ture, because  from  earliest  childhood  he 
feels  the  sweet  attraction  of  Jesus  and 
recognizes  the  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
In  almost  all  churches,  if  he  becomes  in 
due  time  a  communicant,  he  does  then 
publicly  confess  Christ  and  openly  accept 
for  himself  the  position  into  which  he  was 
born. 

10.  False  hopes  are  encouraged.  FormaJ- 
ism  takes  the  place  of  spiritual  life. 

Any  doctrine  may  be  misunderstood  or 
abused,  but  under  proper  instruction  just 
the  opposite  is  the  case.  Children  are  not 
taught  that  they  are  better^  but  that  they 
have  greater  privileges  and  responsibili- 
ties for  which  they  must  render  account. 
For  privileges  neglected  there  is  heavier 
condemnation.  Their  spiritual  condition 
is  not  determined  by  any  assumption  that 
they  are  regenerate.  If  they  bring  not 
forth  fruits  meet  for  repentance,  so  much 
the  worse  for  them. 

With  equal  force  it  might  be  said  that 


^S  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

the  adult  Christian  will  rest  upon  the  fact 
of  his  past  experience  and  church  mem- 
bership. But  if  he  proves  by  his  acts  that 
he  is  not  a  Christian,  so  much  the  more 
reason  has  he  to  tremble.  So  is  it  also 
with  the  youthful  church  member. 

II.  Are  not  the  children  of  Christians  who 
reject  infant  baptism  as  frequently  blessed  as 
those  of  parentis  who  accept  it? 

Obviously  such  questions  cannot  be  defi- 
nitely answered.  Statistics  are  as  impos- 
sible as  they  would  be  repugnant  to  our 
tenderest  emotions,  and  the  possible  con- 
clusions of  interested  witnesses  are,  for 
manifest  reasons,  valueless;  but  such  chil- 
dren might  well  receive  the  blessing  if 
their  parents  v/ere  faithful  in  their  nurture, 
for  if  the  children  have  a  birthright  in 
God's  kingdom  they  would  not  be  neces- 
sarily deprived  of  attendant  benefits  and 
privileges  because  of  parental  misconcep- 
tion. 

On  the  other  hand,  it  may  be  added 
that  it  is  to  be  feared  that  among  those 


W/ij/  Infants  Are  Baptized  7g 

who  present  their  children  for  baptism 
there  are  many  who  have  little  apprecia- 
tion of  the  significance  of  the  sacrament, 
and  consequently  little  expectation  of  any 
resultant  blessing. 

Inasmuch,  however,  as  blessings  are 
granted  in  response  to  faith,  if  such  diver- 
gent views  were  reflected  in  a  consequent 
attitude  of  the  parents,  we  should  not  look 
with  the  same  confidence  for  early  mani- 
festations of  piety  in  the  children  of  those 
who  believe  that  some  degree  of  knowl- 
edge, education  and  maturity  must  7ieces- 
sarily  precede  a  change  of  heart,  as  in  the 
children  of  those  who  accept  the  divine 
promise  of  a  holy  seed,  who  believe  that 
their  children  are  with  them  in  the  Church, 
who  expect  to  find  them  growing  up  in 
the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  who  labor  with 
them  and  pray  for  them  in  that  blessed 
hope. 

We  may  add  that  the  experience  of 
churches  which,  without  ignoring  the  ne- 
cessity of  spiritual  life,  have   emphasized 


8o  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

the  meaning  and  importance  of  the  baptism 
of  infant  children,  fully  justifies  us  in  the 
opinion  that  it  is  no  vain  thing  either  in  its 
effect  upon  parents  or  children.  The 
Church  of  Scotland,  notwithstanding  the 
disturbing  influence  of  the  connection  of 
Church  and  State,  which  tended  to  foster 
formalism,  for  many  years  presented  a 
wonderful  spectacle  of  children,  generation 
after  generation,  growing  up  in  the  nurture 
and  admonition  of  the  Lord,  and  in  faith 
and  piety  walking  in  the  footsteps  of  their 
fathers  in  the  house  of  God. 


VI 


Importance  of    Right  Views 


F  the  views  expressed  in  this 
essay  are  correct,  the  subject 
of  the  baptism  of  infants  de- 
mands a  more  important  place 
in  the  minds  of  pastors  and  Christian  par- 
ents than  is  usually  accorded  it.  As  we 
have  already  said,  this  is  not  a  question 
merely  of  establishing  one  theory  or 
another.  If,  as  we  firmly  believe,  there 
is  historically,  logically,  and  scripturally, 
no  tenable  middle  ground  between  the 
position  that  this  sacrament  in  the  case  of 
infants  means  precisely  what  it  does  in  the 
case  of  adults,  and  the  position  that  there 
is  no  authority  whatever  for  the  baptism 
of  infants,  then  the  whole  question  of  the 
true  mode  of   Christian  nurture  with  its 

6  (8r) 


82  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

manifest  bearing  upon  the  future  growth 
of  the  Church,  is  in  our  judgment  in- 
volved in  this  matter. 

Our  Baptist  brethren  very  largely  owe 
their  success  as  a  denomination  to  their 
distinct,  unanimous,  and  consistent  utter- 
ance upon  this  subject.  Though,  as  we 
believe,  entirely  wrong  in  their  theory  of 
the  organization  of  the  Church,  yet  they 
have  distinctly  known  upon  what  principles 
they  have  rested,  and  their  trumpet  has 
given  forth  no  uncertain  sound.  Hence 
their  power  with  many  inquirers.  Few 
such  have  either  opportunity  or  inclina- 
tion to  examine  carefully  for  themselves, 
the  teachings  upon  this  subject  of  Church 
history  or  the  Scriptures. 

On  the  other  hand  too  many  of  our 
Protestant  and  non-ritualistic  Churches  in 
their  noble  protest  against  that  formalism, 
worldliness,  and  mere  ritualism,  which  tend 
to  sap  spiritual  life,  and  which  in  New 
England  culminated  in  the  system  known 
as  the  ^' half  way  covenant,'"  have  assumed 


JV/iy  Infants  Are  Baptized  Sj 

a  position  that,  while  nominally  retaining 
the  practice  of  baptizing  infants,  really 
emasculates  the  meaning  of  the  sacrament, 
or  so  belittles  it  that  it  no  longer  com- 
mands respect. 

"The  abolition  of  the  abuses  of  the 
doctrine  of  infant  church  membership, 
has  been  accomplished  in  a  manner  and 
in  circumstances  which  have  led  to  the 
forgetting,  ignoring  or  disowning  of  that 
precious  truth  itself,  and  the  loss  of  not  a 
little  of  the  sanctifying  influence  and  fruits 
of  holiness  that  cluster  upon  it.  The  con- 
sciousness and  recognition  of  the  church 
membership  of  baptized  children  have 
widely  disappeared  from  the  doctrinal  and 
practical  life  of  those  churches — a  fact 
deplored  by  some,  and  denied  by  none  of 
authority  among  them."* 

It  would  be  a  far  less  evil  and  fraught 
with  fewer  dangers  to  the  future  of  the 
Church,  to  reject  altogether  the  baptism 
of  infants  than  simply  to  tolerate  it  as  a 

*  Children  of  the  Church,  p.  31. 


8^  WJiy  Infants  Are  Baptized 

harmless,  edifying,  traditional  usage,  the 
continuance  of  which  gives  periodical  op- 
portunity for  an  affectionate  rehearsal  of 
the  responsibilities  of  parents. 

Yet  this  last  is  no  caricature  of  the  posi- 
tion in  reference  to  the  sacrament  of  bap- 
tism in  the  case  of  infants,  of  hundreds  of 
members  of  our  Presbyterian  and  other 
evangelical  churches  throughout  the  land. 

On  the  other  hand  what  gracious  fruit- 
age under  the  divine  blessing  might  well 
be  expected  if  throughout  the  Church 
there  were  a  deep-seated  conviction  that 
when  infants  receive  this  sacrament  they 
receive  in  very  deed  the  ''  sign  and  the 
seal  of  their  ingrafting  into  Christ,  of  re- 
generation, of  remission  of  sins,  and  of 
their  giving  up  unto  God,  through  Jesus 
Christ,  to  walk  in  newness  of  life" !  * 

Such  conviction  could  not  fail  to  be 
followed  by  an  awakening  of  the  Church 
to  its  special  responsibilities  in  regard  to 
its  infant  members.      Such  children  are,  as 

*  Confession  of  Faith,  Chap,  xviii,  Sec.  i. 


IV/ij/  Infants  Are  Baptized         Ss 

our    Directory    expresses    it,    ''under  the 
i7isp€ction  and  gover7i7?ient  of  the  Church.'' 

They   should  be   the   object   of   special 
tenderness  and  care  upon  the  part  of  those 
to  whom  is  committed  the  feeding  of  the 
flock.     They  should  not   be  expected  to 
grow  up   to  partial  maturity  outside  the 
''  pale  of  the  Church,  '  and  avowedly  com- 
mitted to  the  service  of  the  devil.     They 
should  receive  special  instruction  in  regard 
to  their  privileges  and  responsibilities,  and 
always    be    addressed    as    those   who,    it 
is  assumed,  are  conscious  of  their  birth- 
right  and   rejoice    to   own  it   before   the 
world.     They  should  be  encouraged  at  the 
earliest  possible  age  to  be  present  at  the 
stated  services  and  prayer  meetings  of  the 
church,  and  under  direction  of  pastor  or 
elders   to   take   public  part   among   their 
fellows  in  age  in  such  social  religious  ex- 
ercises.    Above   all,    they  should  be  im- 
pressed with  the  thought  that  there  is  no 
age  at  which  they  are  too  young  to  be  the 
object  of  the  Saviour's  special  tender  care, 


y 


S6  ]Vhy  Infants  Are  Baptized 

or,  upon  their  part,  as  earnest,  loving  dis- 
ciples, to  give  him  their  whole  heart. 

So  soon  as  they  have  sufficient  knowl- 
edge, and  give  evidence  of  sincere  desire 
to  come  to  the  Lord's  table,  they  should 
be  informed  that  it  is  their  privilege  so  to 
do.* 

*  Directory  for  Worship,  Chap,  x,  Sec.  i. 


VII 


Responsibilities  and  Privileges 


^^^CCEPTING  the  foregoing  conclu- 
^J^Jl^  sions,  it  is  evident  that  great 
and  peculiar  responsibilities  rest 
upon  Christian  parents;  responsibilities 
that  by  no  possibility  can  they  delegate 
to  others.  To  them  is  committed  the 
nurture  of  the  children  of  the  Church 
— the  infant  disciples  of  Jesus — and  upon 
their  faithfulness  depend,  under  God,  the 
Christian  life  of  these  little  ones,  and,  in 
large  measure,  the  future  of  the  Church 
itself. 

They  have  no  ground  because  of  the 
baptism  of  these  children  for  presumptuous 
self-satisfaction  or  a  careless  optimism  in 
regard  to  them.  So  far  from  resting  con- 
tent in  the  thought  that  their  offspring 
{87) 


8S  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

have  received  the  seal  of  baptism  as  an 
ecclesiastical  ordinance,  they  are  never  to 
forget  that  the  solemn  rite  has  meaning 
only  as  signifying  and  presupposing  the 
spiritual  relation  which  it  symbolizes,  and 
that  such  spiritual  relationship  can  be  as- 
sured only  by  the  grace  of  God  who  with 
foreknowledge  of  their  prayers,  their  love, 
their  watchfulness,  their  conscientious  un- 
tiring zeal,  responds  to  their  faith  by  an 
anticipatory  blessing,  the  greatest  that 
can  be  accorded  an  immortal  soul. 

If,  as  is  alas!  too  often  the  case,  the 
parents  are  so  thoroughly  absorbed  in  the 
secular  pursuits  of  the  day — the  increasing 
excitements  of  our  driving  business  com- 
munities, or  the  dissipating  follies  of  our 
fashionable  social  life — that  they  have 
''no  time"  to  foster  the  spiritual  life  of 
their  children,  and  no  interest  in  directing 
their  associations  and  forming  their  habits, 
what  should  they  expect  under  the  ordin- 
ary laws  of  God's  realm,  but  that  in  after 
years  they  shall  have  tears  to  shed  over 


W/iy  Infants  Are  Baptized  Si) 

the  wayward  youth,  the  lost  manhood,  the 
frivolous  womanhood,  of  those  who  were 
committed  to  their  care  ? 

There  may  be  also  irreparable  injury 
done  simply  from  wrong  convictions  upon 
the  part  of  parents. 

If  they  assume  that  it  is  incredible  that 
they  should  find  their  infant  children  al- 
ready brought  by  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  into  a  gracious  state,  and  therefore 
urge  unceasingly  the  futility  of  all  at- 
tempts to  live  a  Christian  life  until  some 
new,  sudden,  and  mysterious  change  has 
been  experienced,  they  may  lay  a  burden 
upon  the  young  Christian  life  from  which 
it  will  never  be  entirely  relieved.  A 
sudden  and  surprising  illumination  may 
perhaps  be  expected  in  the  case  of  one 
who,  like  Saul,  has  been  an  open  scoffer  at 
the  claims  of  Jesus,  and  then,  like  him, 
suddenly  stricken  down  before  the  power 
of  the  cross;  but  far  otherwise  are  the 
natural  manifestations  of  religious  life  in 
one  who,  "born  within  the  pale  of  the  visi- 


go  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

ble  Church,"  has  been  brought  up  "in 
the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord." 

We  have  known  little  children  who 
could  not  remember  the  time  when  they 
did  not  love  their  Saviour,  pray  earnestly, 
almost  agonizingly,  for  some  mysterious 
revelation,  and  then  pause  and  wait  in 
breathless  expectancy  for  something  to 
happen. 

We  have  known  men  and  women  who 
professed  to  trust  in  Christ  as  a  Saviour, 
and  who  gave  every  evidence  of  desiring 
to  walk  with  him,  pass  on  for  years  un- 
willing publicly  to  avow  themselves  Chris- 
tians and  take  their  place  at  the  Lord's 
table,  because  they  could  not  escape  from 
the  bondage  of  the  conviction  of  the 
necessity  of  some  new  and  violent  revolu- 
tion in  feeling,  a  change  that  they  had  long 
despaired  of  ever  experiencing. 

But  if  the  responsibilities  are  great  the 
privileges  are  inestimable.  What  higher 
honor  can  be  accorded  to  devout  men  and 
women   than  to  have  God's   children  in- 


W/ij/  Infants  Arc  Baptized  gi 

trusted  to  them  to  be  trained  within  his 
kingdom !  What  greater  privilege  can  be 
theirs  than  to  pray  with  serene  confidence 
for  the  signs  of  the  Holy  Spirit's  presence, 
knowing  that  they  shall  not  be  disap- 
pointed !  What  more  fascinating  study 
than  that  of  the  peculiarities  of  temper 
and  disposition  of  their  little  ones  and  of 
the  methods  and  influences  by  which  they 
may  be  counseled  and  guided  aright !  At 
times  these  privileges  will  assume  a  tender 
and  all-absorbing  interest.  "  Very  young 
children  religiously  educated,  it  will  be  re- 
membered by  almost  every  grown-up 
person,  have  many  times  of  great  religious 
tenderness,  when  they  are  drawn  apart  in 
thoughtfulness  and  prayer.  The  effort 
should  be  to  make  these  little  silent  pen- 
tecosts  and  gentle  openings  Godward, 
sealing-times  of  the  wSpirit,  and  have  the 
family  always  in  such  keeping  as  to  be 
a  congenial  element  for  such  times;  and 
to  suffer  no  possible  hindrance  or  opposing 
influence,  even  should  they  come  and  go 


g2  WJiy  Infants  Are  Baptized 

unobserved.  "*  Thus  guarding  with  watch- 
ful care  the  ripening  soul,  parents  in  all 
ordinary  cases  will  not  need  to  wait  long 
before  they  will  see  even  their  imperfect 
work  owned  by  God,  cheered  by  the 
quick  blossoming  of  gracious  affections 
implanted  by  the  Holy  Spirit  and  early 
crowned  by  the  voluntary  consecration  of 
their  loved  ones  to  the  service  of  the 
blessed  Master. 

*  Bushnell,  Christian  Nurture,  p.  383. 


VIII 


Encouragement 


UR  Lord  and  Master,  that  he  might 
touch  all  stages  of  human  life  and 
become  the  perfect  example  to 
the  infant  disciple  as  truly  as  to  the  aged 
saint,  did  not  disdain  to  be  born  a  helpless 
babe  with  every  experience  of  increasing 
years  still  awaiting  him.  It  is  of  him 
that  the  evangelist  writes:  ^^And  the  child 
grew,  a?id  waxed  sf?'o?ig  in  spirit,  filled  with 
wisdom  :  and  the  grace  of  God  was  upon  him.''^ 
The  fullness  of  the  meaning  of  such 
words  as  these  when  spoken  of  the  Child 
Jesus  we  cannot  undertake  to  explain: 
and  yet,  as  the  writer  is  manifestly  speak- 
ing of  the  human  side  of  our  Lord's  per- 
sonality and  his  gradual  development  as 
a  man  it  would  seem  that  the  reference  is 
{93) 


p/  W/ij/  Infants  Are  Baptized 

not  to  supernatural  qualities  or  gifts,  but 
to  that  favor  and  blessing  which  the  heav- 
enly Father  is  ever  ready  to  bestow  upon 
all  who  yield  their  spirit  to  his  guidance. 

What  imagination  can  picture  the  su- 
preme loveliness  of  this  holy  Child  who 
with  the  dew  of  youth  upon  his  brow,  the 
light  of  spotless  purity  in  his  eye,  and  the 
charm  of  ineffable  tenderness  in  his  gra- 
cious mien,  is  most  vividly  portrayed  by 
the  words:  ''  The  grace  of  God  was  upon 
him''? 

Once  only  during  these  early  years  of 
our  Lord  is  the  curtain  lifted,  but  it  dis- 
closes a  scene  that  pictures  to  the  world 
the  ideal  of  youth.  It  is  the  scene  upon 
which  Mary  looked  when,  anxious  and 
weary  with  her  search,  she  pressed  her 
way  into  the  porch  of  the  court  of  the 
temple  and  saw  her  Son  sitting  in  the 
midst  of  the  teachers,  both  hearing  them 
and  asking  them  questions.  Many  artists 
have  attempted  to  depict  the  guileless  face 
of  the  Child  illumined  with  the  light  of  the 


IV/ijf  Infants  Are  Baptized  (jj 

grace  of  God;  the  grave  yet  wondering 
countenances  of  the  encircling  rabbis, 
and  the  tender,  anxious  face  of  the  mother 
as  she  whispers  her  troubled  question  in 
the  ear  of  her  Son.  But  who  can  portray, 
either  by  artist's  pencil  or  by  spoken  word 
a  scene  which  is  without  parallel  in  the 
history  of  the  world  and  which  yet  repre- 
sents the  Child  Jesus  as  the  type  and  sym- 
bol of  all  that  youth  ought  to  be,  and 
toward  which  every  child  of  man  may  by 
the  grace  of  God  aspire? 

What  more  would  be  needed  to  prove 
that  upon  any  one  of  our  dear  children 
rested  the  grace  of  God  than  to  see  devel- 
oping in  his  ripening  soul  those  three  char- 
acteristics which  in  that  temple  scene  are 
plainly  manifest  in  the  radiant  person  of 
the  Son  of  Mary:  an  eager  questioning 
after  the  truth,  a  willing  submission  to 
parental  guidance,  a  solemn,  joyful  conse- 
cration to  the  service  of  the  heavenly 
Father? 

The  grace  of  God,  which  finds  its  fruit- 


p6  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

age  in  such  results,  may  be  the  dower  of 
any  child  whose  heart  early  goes  out 
toward  the  divine  Saviour  and  Master. 

Of  the  tender  sympathy  of  that  divine 
Master  what  parent  can  doubt  who  remem- 
bers that  the  Son  of  Mary  in  his  riper 
years  took  little  infants  in  his  arms  and 
said  :  * '  Suffer  little  children  to  come  unto 
m  and  forbid  them  not:  for  of  such  is 
the  kingdom  of  God. " 

Were  the  Church  in  a  normal  condition, 
herself  answering  to  the  ideal  bride  of 
the  risen  Lord,  can  we  doubt  that  her  chil- 
dren, upon  whom  rests  the  seal  of  the 
sacrament  of  baptism,  would,  one  and 
all,  growing  up  in  the  nurture  and  admo- 
nition of  the  Lord,  develop  the  rich  graces 
of  a  consecrated  Christian  life  ? 

Should  not  parents  earnestly  question 
themselves  whether  they  really  desire 
these  heavenly  gifts  for  their  children  ? 
What  thoughts  most  frequently  fill  their 
minds  when  they  forecast  the  future  of 
their  little  ones  ?      Is  it  that  they  may  be 


IV/tj  Infants  Are  Baptized  97 

prosperous  and  successful  in  worldly- 
things,  accumulate  wealth,  move  in  ex- 
clusive or  fashionable  circles  of  society, 
acquire  position  and  fame  ?  or  that  the 
grace  of  God  may  be  upon  them,  and  that 
they  may  know  the  joy  of  being  about 
their  Father's  business  ? 

If  this  latter  is  their  sincere  desire  and 
earnest  prayer,  they  may  be  assured  that 
their  earnest  endeavor  thus  to  influence 
their  children  will  be  owned  and  blessed 
on  high,  and  that  they  will  not  fail  of  an 
exceeding  great  reward. 

Finally,  by  such  Christian  nurture,  as 
truly  as  by  direct  conquest  from  the 
world,  God  provides  for  the  growth  of  his 
C  hurch. 

' '  Christian  nurture,  beginning  in  in- 
fancy, inheriting  traditional  influences, 
and  surrounded  at  the  first  dawn  of  con- 
sciousness by  a  religious  atmosphere,  is 
the  normal  and  divine  method  for  propa- 
gating the  Church.  Of  this  method  the 
baptism  of  infants  is  the  visible  exponent 
7 


9^  Why  Infants  Are  Baptized 

and  the  mutual  pledge  between  God  and 
his  believmg  people."  * 

He  with  whom  is  all  power  does  not  dis- 
claim in  his  spiritual  kingdom  the  same 
natural  laws  of  parental  influence  by 
which  from  generation  to  generation  na- 
tions are  enlarged,  and  arts,  sciences,  and 
civilization,  made  more  and  more  to  cover 
the  face  of  the  globe.  Because  the  Church 
has  a  glorious  aggressive  work  to  accom- 
plish, attacking  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  the 
strongholds  of  sin  and  Satan,  and  thus  con- 
quering the  world  for  her  King,  she  must 
not  forget  that  her  strength,  her  vigor,  her 
triumph,  depend  still  more  upon  her  holy 
care  of  those  whom  God  commits  to  her 
charge,  to  be  cherished  in  her  arms  and 
nourished  at  her  breast. 

«-  H.   J     Van   Dyke,    The    Church,    Her   Ministry  and 
Sacraments^  p.  114. 


APPENDIX 


Note  A.     Page  io 
History 

At  the  present  time  a  large  number  of  very 
sincere  and  excellent  Christians  disapprove  of  the 
baptism  of  infants.  But  this  number,  though 
large  in  the  aggregate,  is  relatively  small,  embrac- 
ing lg5S  than  one  in  fifty  of  the  whole  body  of 
professed  believers  throughout  the  world. 

As  we  go  back  in  the  history  of  the  centuries, 
we  find  that  the  number  of  those  who  oppose  the 
practice  grows  smaller  and  smaller,  until  in  the 
sixteenth  century  they  appear  to  be  very  few  and 
to  be  universally  regarded  as  heretics. 

There  is,  however,  a  distinct  record  of  the  exist- 
ence, among  the  Waldenses,  in  the  twelfth  cen- 
tury, of  Christians  called  Petro-Brussians,  who 
denied  the  propriety  of  baptizing  infants. 

Beyond  this  date  the  accounts  of  alleged  dissent 
from  the  then  universal  practice  are  very  obscure 
{99) 


loo  Appendix — Notes 

and  contradictory.  Yet,  as  the  records  of  the 
earher  centuries  were  in  the  hands  of  those  who 
looked  upon  all  dissent  as  rank  heresy,  it  is  not  to 
be  doubted,  in  view  of  the  reports  that  have  sur- 
vived, that  in  every  age  there  were  Christians, 
more  or  less  in  number  and  more  or  less  obscure 
in  their  lives,  who  contended  that  the  baptism  of 
infants  was  unscriptural  and  unauthorized.  Still 
the  number  must  have  been  very  small  during  the 
earlier  centuries,  for  Augustine,  writing  early  in 
the  fifth  century,  declares  that  he  "  never  met 
with  any  Christian,  either  of  the  general  Church  or 
of  any  of  the  sects,  nor  with  any  writer  who  owned 
the  authority  of  the  Scriptures,  who  taught  any 
other  doctrine  f  lan  that  infants  are  to  be  baptized 
for  the  remission  of  sin;"  and  JPelagius  asserts 
that  he  had  "  never  heard  of  anyone,  not  even  a 
heretic,  who  denied  infant  baptism."  (See  Hall, 
Law  of  Baptism,  pp.  189,  et  seq) 

In  the  third  and  fourth  centuries,  although  the 
necessity  of  baptizing  infants  was  generally  ac- 
knowledged, the  practice  was  not  uniform.  (Ques- 
tion at  council  at  Carthage,  A.D.  252  ) 

The  references  to  infant  baptism,  earlier  than 
the  third  century,  are  in  dispute.  When  accepted 
as  genuine  they  are  interpreted  according  to  the 
convictions  of  the  inquirer.     On  the  one  side  it  is 


Appendix — Notes  loi 

held  that  the  alkisions  prove  the  practice  to  have 
been  novel  and  exceptional  ;  on  the  other  side  it 
is  insisted  that  they  indicate  its  general  prevalence. 
It  seems  fair  to  accept  the  history  as  indicating 
such  consensus  ecclesiae  as  affords  a  presumption 
in  favor  of  the  practice.  The  argument  for  or 
against  must  be  founded  upon  the  Scriptures. 

Note  B.     Page  i6 
Definitio7is  of  Regeneration 

Misunderstanding  frequently  arises  from  mere 
difference  of  definition.  Many  Anglican  divines, 
in  supposed  conformity  to  the  expressions  of  their 
standards,  use  the  word  regeneration  as  signifying 
solely  the  change  that  takes  place  in  the  condition 
of  a  person  who,  by  the  sacrament,  is  "grafted 
into  the  good  tree,  born  into  the  Church,"  and 
who  receives  "baptismal  grace."  But  they  do 
not  deny  the  possibility  of  a  previous  spiritual 
change  wrought  by  the  Holy  Ghost  and  mani- 
fested by  faith  and  repentance  ;  only  they  do  not 
call  it  regeneratio7i. 

"Here  again,"  says  the  bishop  of  Ely,  "mis- 
understanding results  from  difference  of  defini- 
tion. The  Church  calls  the  grace  of  baptism  by 
the   name   of  regeneration,   for   reasons   already 


J02  Appendix— Notes 

specified  ;  but  she  does  not  deny  that  God  may- 
work  in  the  souls  of  men  previous  to  their  baptism  ; 
nay  !  she  does  not  deny  that  there  may  be  true 
spiritual  life  in  them  before  baptism.  But  that 
spiritual  life  she  does  not  call  the  new  birth  till  it 
is  manifested  in  the  sacrament  of  regeneration. 
We  must  remember  that  the  terms  new  birth  and 
regeneration  are  images  borrowed  from  natural 
objects  and  applied  to  spiritual  objects.  In  nature 
we  b  lieve  life  to  exist  in  the  infant  before  it  is 
born — life,  too,  of  the  same  kind  as  its  life 
after  birth.  Nay  !  if  there  be  no  life  before  it  is 
born  there  will  be  none  after  it  is  born.  So,  the 
unbaptized  may  not  be  altogether  destitute  of 
spiritual  hfe;  yet  the  actual  birth  may  be  con- 
sidered as  taking  place  at  baptism  ;  when  there  is 
not  only  life,  but  hfe  apparent,  life  proclaimed  to 
the  world  ;  when  the  soul  receives  the  seal  of 
adoption,  is  counted  in  the  family  of  God,  and  not 
only  partakes  of  God's  grace  and  mercy,  but  has  a 
covenanted  assurance  and  title  to  it." — Browne's 
Exposition  of  Thirty-nine  Articles,  p.  647. 

Robertson  of  Brighton,  after  saying  in  words  al- 
ready quoted,  that  baptism  makes  a  child  a  child 
of  God  only  as  coronation  makes  a  sovereign, 
adds,  "  Baptism  naturally  stands  in  Scripture  for 
the  title  of  regeneration  and  the  moment  of  it." 


Appendix — Notes 


10 


A  prominent  Lutheran  clergyman  writes:  "In 
teaching  the  doctrine  of  baptism  il  regeneration 
our  Church  most  emphatically  rejects  the  error  of 
those,  like  the  Church  of  Rome,  who  teach  {the  ex 
opere  operatd)  that  the  sacraments  justify  by  the 
outward  act.  In  the  case  of  infants  as  they  do 
not  reject  the  grace  offered  in  baptism  the  Holy 
Ghost  works  that  receptive  faith  which  justifies. 
In  the  case  of  adults  our  Church  most  positively 
teaches  that  the  sacrament  does  not  bestow  bless- 
ings apart  from  personal  faith.  Through  baptism 
the  believer  is  ingrafted  into  Christ,  receives  the 
seal  and  assurance  of  forgiveness,  and  is  entitled 
to  the  full  blessings  of  salvation."— 77/^  Rev.  J. 
B.  Rejnensnyder,  D.D. 

Note  C.    Page  38 

Elect  Infants 

The  ambiguous  statement  of  the  Confession  of 
Faith  (Chap.  X,  Sec.  3)  that  "  Elect  infants,  dying 
in  infancy,  are  regenerated  and  saved  by  Christ 
through  the  Spirit,  who  worketh  when,  and  where, 
and  how  he  pleaseth  "  has  doubtless  in  former 
days  been  a  cause  of  anxiety  and  distress  to  par- 
ents who  have  lost  infant  children,  it  being  inter- 
preted as  implying  that  there  were  infants  dying 


104-  Appendix— Notes 

in  infancy  who  were  not  sav^ed.  At  the  present 
time  it  is  usually  quoted  only  as  an  illustration 
of  the  alleged  narrowness  of  vision  of  the  framers 
of  the  symbol. 

It  should  be  remembered,  however,  that  the 
statement  was  undoubtedly  introduced  into  the 
Confession  not  with  any  primary  intention  of  distin- 
guishing between  elect  and  nonelect  infants,  but 
as  a  protest  against  the  Romish  doctrine,  that  un- 
baptized  infants  were  lost,  and  as  an  emphatic 
statement  of  the  Protestant  view  of  salvation 
through  Christ  alone.  The  emphasis  is  not  upon 
the  word  "elect,''  but  upon  the  words  *'  dymg  in 
infancy y  The  chapter  in  which  the  statement  oc- 
curs is  not  treating  oi  Election  but  oi  Effectual  Call- 
ing, and  the  antithesis  is  not  between  elect  and  non- 
elect,  but  between  such  of  the  former  as  die  in 
infancy  and  such  as  live  to  be  "  outwardly  called." 

While  it  would  be  probably  too  much  to  say 
that  there  were  none  in  that  Assembly  who 
doubted  in  regard  to  the  salvation  of  all  infants 
dying  in  infancy,  it  may  be  safely  affirmed  that  in 
making  this  reference  there  was  no  deliberate 
purpose  upon  the  part  of  the  Assembly  to  formu- 
late a  dogmatic  statement  that  by  necessary  impli- 
cation would  teach  that  any  infants  dying  in 
infancy  are  lost. 


Appendix— Notes  105 

Note  D.     Page  42 
The  Mode  of  Baptism 

To  the  present  writer  the  question  of  the  origi- 
nal mode  of  baptism,  whether  by  sprinkling,  af- 
fusion, immersion,  or  submersion,  has  never 
seemed  to  have  the  importance  attached  to  it  by- 
many  others. 

Even  could  it  be  proved  that  the  sacrament  in 
apostolic  times  was  administered  only  in  one 
mode,  and  also,  as  some  affirm,  that  the  word 
"baptize"  (Greek  ^oTrr/Cw)  signified  only  immer- 
sion (or,  more  exactly,  submersion),  it  would  not 
appear  to  him  conclusively  proved  that  the  same 
mode  was  essential  in  all  ages  to  the  validity  of 
the  sacrament. 

As,  however,  reasons  for  this  opinion,  that  to 
him  appear  conclusive,  would  probably  be  chal- 
lenged by  those  who  differ  with  him  as  to  the 
proper  practice,  he  would  add  that  he  by  no  means 
admits  that  it  can  be  proved  that  in  apostolic 
times  the  sacrament  was  administered  exclusively 
by  immersion,  much  less  by  submersion,  which  is 
the  contention  of  a  large  and  influential  branch  of 
the  Church  to-day. 

The  difficulties  in  the  way  of  establishing  this 
contention  are  obvious,  and  have  been  often  enu- 


io6  Appendix — Notes 

merated.  Aside  from  the  proverbial  difficulty  of 
proving  a  negative,  and  the  valid  presumption  aris- 
ing from  the  immemorial  practice  of  the  large 
majority  of  Christians,  the  following  points  may 
be  noted : — 

1.  The  /^/r/<9r/ improbability  of  appointing  a  nec- 
essary rite  in  a  form  that  would  be  frequently  in- 
convenient and  at  times  impracticable,  as,  for  ex- 
ample, in  mortal  illness,  or  in  the  Arctic  regions. 

2.  The  fact  that  historically  there  is  no  record 
back  to  apostolic  days  of  any  period  in  which  bap- 
tism was  administered  only  by  submersion. 

3.  The  earhest  delineations,  such  as  the  rude 
pictorial  representations  in  the  Catacombs,  indi- 
cate baptism  by  affusion. 

4.  The  directions  concerning  baptism  in  the 
Teaching  of  the  Twelve  Apostles  (AIAAXH),  a 
document  dating  back  to  the  second  century, 
"possibly  as  far  back  as  A.D.  120,  hardly  later 
than  A.D.  160."  The  seventh  chapter  reads: 
"  Now,  concerning  baptism,  thus  baptize  ye : 
having  first  uttered  all  these  things,  baptize 
into  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  running  water.  But  if  thou 
hast  not  running  water,  baptize  in  other  water ; 
and  if  thou  canst  not  in  cold,  then  in  warm.  But 
if  thou  hast   neither,  pour  water  upon  the   head 


Appendix— Notes  loy 

thrice  into  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son  and  Holy 
Spirit."  (See  translation  by  R.  D.  Hitchcock  and 
Francis  Brown,  pages  15,  33.) 

5.  The  extreme  improbability,  in  view  of  the 
absence  (aside  from  public  reservoirs)  of  large 
pools  of  water  or  sufficient  streams,  that  in  one 
day  (Pentecost)  in  Jerusalem  three  thousand  per- 
sons were  baptized  by  submersion, 

6.  That  although  the  ordinary  meaning  of  the 
Greek  word  iSairro),  and  (apart  from  ceremonial 
usage)  of  its  derivative  jSaTTTi^^u^  is  "to  dip"  or 
"to  immerse"  (not  necessarily  ^///^/^^r;^^),  it  can 
hardly  be  successfully  maintained  that  in  the 
Hellenistic  Greek  of  the  Septuagint  and  the  New 
Testament  it  so  invariably  means  to  stibjiierge 
completely,  that  therefore  any  act  short  of  sub- 
mersion invalidates  the  sacrament. 

A  few  illustrations  will  suffice.  In  all  of  them 
submersion  is  very  improbable,  and  in  some  of 
them  practically  excluded. 

Ecclesiasticus  (Apocrypha)  xxxiv.  25  :  "  He 
that  washeth  himself  {,3a7rTii^o/j,evog)  because  of  a 
dead  body" — an  evident  reference  to  the  ceremo- 
nial cleansing  by  sprinkling  commanded  in  Num- 
bers xix.  18:  "And  a  clean  person  shall  take 
hyssop,  and  dip  it  in  the  water,  and  sprinkle  it,  .  .  . 
upon  him  that  touched  ....  one  dead."     It  may 


io8  Appendix — Notes 

be  noticed  also  that  the  word  "  dip,"  with  reference 
to  the  hyssop  is  in  the  Septuagint  "  jSaipei,''  which 
may  mean  immerse  but  hardly  suhnerge. 

Daniel  iv.  33  (Septuagint  iv.  30)  :  "  And  he 
[Nebuchadnezzar]  was  driven  from  men,  .... 
and  his  body  was  wet  {i^ad^ri)  with  the  dew  of  heaven. 

"Mark  vii,  4:  "And  when  they  come  from  the 
maiketplace,  except  they  wash  QSaTTTiGuvrai,  but  in 
some  manuscripts  pavnauvrai)  they  eat  not :  and 
many  other  things,  ....  as  the  washing  {BawTLG- 
//oi^c)  of  cups,  ....  2iTi6i  oit3h\QS  {k^uvcjv— couches 
or  beds.)    (Omitted  in  some  manuscripts). 

Luke  xi.  38  :  "  And  when  the  Pharisee  saw  it,  he 
marveled  that  he  [Jesus]  had  not  first  washed 
(EfSaiTTiadTj)  before  dinner." 

To  the  present  writer  the  probabilities  seem  to 
be  that  very  early  in  the  Hellenistic  usage  the  word 
''baptize,''  when  used  with  ceremonial  reference, 
acquired  a  ritualistic  meaning  nearly  parallel  to 
"cleanse"  or  "  lustrate,"  and  that  the  mode  of 
administration  in  early  post-apostolic  days,  while 
perhaps  more  frequently  by  immersion,  was  in 
numerous  exceptional  cases  by  affusion  or  pour- 
ing, the  administrator  and  the  recipient  standing 
together  in  the  stream  from  which  the  water  was 
dipped  (see  Teaching  of  the  Apostles,  as  above). 
In  the  New  Testament  there  is  no  intimation  of_ 


Appendix — Notes  log 

the  mode  of  baptism  excepting  as  it  is  inferred 
from  the  meaning  of  the  word. 

But  as  has  been  already  suggested,  the  question 
of  the  mode  of  baptism  is  of  little  importance  as 
compared  with  that  of  the  proper  subjects.  There 
is  no  branch  of  the  Church  that  prohibits  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  sacrament  by  submersion,  if 
from  conscientious  scruples  the  applicant  desires 

that  method. 

Note  E.     Page  43 

Meaning  of  Anglican  Baptismal  Office 
In  the  Church  of  England  and  in  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church  in  this  country  there  has  always 
been  a  wide  diversity  of  opinion  as  to  the  signifi- 
cance of  the  expression  :  "  Seeing  now  that  this 
child  is  regenerated  C.  W.  Andrews,  D.D.,  re- 
marks :  "  This  regeneration  is  pronounced  upon 
the  profession  oi  faith  by  the  child  himself  which 
immediately  precedes.  It  is  not  the  sponsor  who 
professes  faith,  but  the  child  by  the  sponsor,  and 
this,  not  that  he  w///beheve,  but  that  he  the7i  be- 
lieves. The  faith  is  adtnitted  to  be  hypothetical, 
regeneration  is  the  corresponding  hypothesis. 
The  faith  is  as  positively  professed  as  the  regen- 
eration is  pronounced.  The  construction  of  the 
service  upon  the  hypothetical  principle  may  be 
unwise,  but  that  it  was  constructed  on  that  princi- 


no  Appoidix — Notes 

pie  is  most  certain." — Baptismal  Regeneration,  by 
E.  Mellor,  D.D.,  Note,  p.  64. 

"Of  those  infants,  therefore,  who  have  been  bap- 
tized, we  do  not  hope,  but  we  know,  that  as  they 
are  partakers  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  so  they  are 
partakers  of  the  assurance  of  pardon,  and,  more- 
over, have  a  right  to  those  graces  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  which  if  cultivated  as  they  grow  up,  will 
surely  new-create  in  them  a  sanctified  nature, 
mortifying  and  destroying  their  old  and  corrupt 
nature,  and  making  them  sons  of  God  indeed. 
Hence  as  they  are  by  baptism  entitled  to  regen- 
erating grace,  we  do  not  scruple  to  use  the  lan- 
guage of  Scripture  and  antiquity,  and  to  call  them 
regenerate  in  baptism." — Browne  on  the  Thirty - 
nine  Articles,  p.  676. 

"  Regeneration  is  a  change  of  our  spiritual  con- 
ditio7i,  a  translation  into  a  state  in  which  our  sal- 
vation is  re7idered  possible :  renovation  is  that 
change  of  heart  and  life  by  which  salvation  is 
finally  attained." — Bishop  J.  H.  Hibart,  Works, 
vol.  ii,  p.  472. 

"Since  then  baptismal  regeneration  confers 
only  a  conditional  title  to  the  blessings  of  the 
Christian  covenant,  and  pledges  and  conveys 
only  that  grace  which  is  necessary  to  the  fulfill- 
ment of  these  conditions,  it  is  a  misapprehension 


Appendix — Notes  iii 

or  a  misstatement  of  this  doctrine  which  represents 
it  as  denying  or  superseding  the  necessity  of  that 
spiritual  change  which  it  sets  forth  and  enforces. 
— Idem,  p.  62. 

"This  Babel-like  confusion  [in  interpretation] 
has  resulted  from  the  attempt  to  make  the  Office 
speak  what  its  framers  did  not  intend,  and  from 
overlooking  the  principle  on  which  it  is  constructed, 

the  principle  of  a  legal  fiction The  infant  is 

represented  as  an  intelligent  voluntary  party  to  the 
covenant  of  salvation — and  the  conditions  of  the 
covenant  and  the  promises  and  blessings  are  fully 
set  forth.  It  is  the  infant  who  renounces  sin,  pro- 
fesses faith,  desires  baptism,  and  promises  obedi- 
ence. It  is  not  the  promise  and  profession  of  the 
sponsors." — Bishop  Alfred  Lee,  Review  of  the 
Bishop  of  New  York's  Pastoral  Letter,  p.  24. 

The  bishops  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church 
in  this  country,  in  the  council  of  the  General  Con- 
vention of  1 87 1,  made  the  following  declaration  : 
"  Being  asked  to  declare  our  conviction  as  to  the 
meaning  of  the  word  '  regenerate  '  in  the  Offices 
for  the  ministration  of  baptism  to  infants,  we  do 
declare  that  in  our  opinion,  the  word  '  regenerate  ' 
is  not  there  so  used  as  to  determine  that  a  moral 
change  in  the  subject  of  baptism  is  wrought  in  that 
sacrament." 


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